The One That Got Away
by Jajjo
Summary: NOT COMPLETED. TO BE REMOVED. When Jasper leaves for college he also leaves his best friend behind. What happens when he finds her years later, in a situation neither of them want to be in? Can they work it out or is at least one of them doomed from the start? All human.
1. Prologue

**A/N:** Hello darlings! After a long long LONG break I am finally back. With a new story!_ *Claps hands together*_

Let me introduce you to a new world with Jalice!  
>Readers be aware of some nasty language and gestures along the way.<p>

I would like to thank my beta **MSW**! She's awesome!  
>Also... thank you to Koko &amp; Helle who have read through this prologue and kept me on the right track!<p>

**And THANK YOU** to all of you readers who have returned to me. God only knows I haven't been around much. But this is my way of returning to FF .net and wishing you a Happy Christmas!

Bambino

* * *

><p><strong>~*~ Prologue ~*~ <em><br>_**

_The girl took a cautious step towards the building. From her perspective, it looked huge and frightening, not unlike the evil queen's lair in all the fairytales._

_If she could have it her way, she would have returned home right away with her mommy and stayed there forever. Instead, her mother took her hand and gave it a light squeeze. _

"_It's alright, honey. You'll do great." _

_The girl looked up with wide green eyes at the beautiful woman. "Mommy has to work. Sweetheart, you know that." _

_She did know that. Her mommy had been very careful when she'd explained it all to her a month ago. Their time together was up, at least between office hours. _

"_Come on. Let's go and meet everybody. I'm sure you're gonna love making new friends." _

Jasper looked up with a smile from the book he was reading._ She_ was studying him carefully. Narrow eyes with a frown between her eyebrows as she analyzed everything that Jasper's face showed while reading. Once she realized he wasn't looking at the text anymore, her expression softened. She locked her eyes with his.

"So? What do you think?" The tone of her voice reminded Jasper of when they were kids.

"I love it."

"Really?" Her expression changed into a relieved one and Alice hopped down from the branch she'd been sitting on and slumped down next to Jasper on the bench.

"Really."

He smiled at her and Alice's gaze softened as she flipped through a few pages.

"How about this part?"

She was pointing at a new chapter, and Jasper sighed as he pulled Alice closer to him and lowered his gaze back to the book.

_Joshua reached for an apple and smirked as he saw Angela giving him a somewhat annoyed look._

Looking up from the book, Jasper gave Alice a questioning look. "Joshua and Angela?"

She blushed.

"Well, I couldn't use our real names now could I?" Her smile was soft as she traced the pages of the book. "Go on. Read some more."

Sighing, Jasper lowered his gaze again and focused on the text of the book.

"_What?" He held the apple in his hand and slumped back down next to her at the base of the tree. _

"_Nothing." She folded her hands into her lap and looked at him with a soft smile playing on her lips. _

"_Angela, you are a terrible liar. You have been ever since I met you ten years ago." _

_She smacked his arm and looked at the apple. _

"_That's my apple tree, you know?" _

"_Yeah, so?" _

"_That happens to be the last apple." She raised an eyebrow, and Joshua laughed out loud. _

"_You want the apple?" _

"_Well, it is my tree after all." _

_He shook his head amused and offered the apple to his best friend. She smirked and reached for it only to find it snatched out of her reach. "Hey!" _

_Joshua rolled his eyes and took a bite before making the most ridiculous face. "Oh sweet mother of God, that is so tasty!" _

_Angela laughed and leaned over him and plucked the apple from his hand. "Jerk!" _

_They both grinned, and she let the apple touch her lips while inhaling the familiar scent of her favorite fruit. _

"I can't believe you still remember this." His eyes sparkled with affection as Jasper looked at Alice.

She just shrugged and took the book gently from his hands.

"Hard to forget the tree you see outside your window every day when you wake up."

They both looked up at the tree in question. The bench that they were sitting on hadn't been there in the beginning. It had been a gift from Jasper when Alice turned sixteen.

Jasper could still remember Alice's face when she saw her present and the way she bounced after him and threw herself into his arms the second he'd set the bench down. They'd been best friends since her first day in kindergarten and now they were all grown up…or, at least partially grown up.

Jasper was now eighteen and Alice was seventeen.

Truth to be told, they'd never really been in kindergarten together. He'd been the kid whose mom worked as Alice's kindergarten teacher.

They met at the end of Alice's first day when Jasper's dad stopped by with a _very_ happy Jasper. His blonde hair had been a tangle of mess and one of his knees had been scrapped after a rough game with his friends. Regardless, he was still smiling and laughing as he ran up to his mother who was attending to Alice's shoes.

"Do you still remember what you told me after that day I ate your last apple?"

Jasper smiled while Alice lowered her gaze again and pondered over his question.

"Something about the tree?"

"That's right. I told you that if the tree was still here the day one of us left town, I would carve our names on one of the branches."

Alice nodded and snuggled up against him.

"I remember. You also told me that if you were the one leaving, you would get me a present so that I would never forget you."

They both fell silent. Alice was right. They both knew it, but neither one of them wanted to continue on that topic. Instead, Jasper put his arms around Alice and leaned his chin against the top of her head. She hummed quietly, closed her eyes, and listened to his steady heartbeat.

It was the second week of August - the week Alice dreaded to ever since she found out about Jasper's acceptance letter.

Of course she was happy for him and wanted him to go to college, but it meant leaving her behind. And that part sucked, big time.

It hadn't helped that the summer seemed to pass in no time at all.

Alice woke up the same morning with a knot in her stomach, and for once, she was not as happy to see Jasper standing on her porch.

He wasn't terribly happy to be standing there either. Something about knowing that it was the last time he would be standing on that same porch to meet his best friend was just depressing.

Yet, it was unavoidable. Here they were sitting under that magical (Alice's word, not Jasper's) apple tree and savoring their last moments together.

Jasper cleared his throat and pulled away just enough to look at Alice properly. "My dad will be here soon."

Alice just nodded as a response. She could see the time on his watch; she knew it was time.

"I did get you something though."

Jasper's lips turned up into a sad smile as he reached for a small velvet bag from his pocket while Alice looked at him in surprise. "Jazz, you didn't have to do that."

Standing up, Alice looked at Jasper and the little bag. Jasper followed her example and got up, catching one of Alice's hands in his.

"I promised, didn't I? And besides-" His expression saddened and Alice felt that knot in her stomach tighten. "I don't want you to forget me."

The way he said it made Alice gasp and she let go of Jasper's hand so that she could hug him, inhaling the familiar scent that was _home_ to her.

"I'll never forget you. You know that." Her voice was barely a whisper, but the words were crystal clear and Jasper let his arms wind around his best friend's waist.

It was the purest and most nurturing friendship both of them had ever known. There had never been any romantic feelings between them as they grew up and faced the problems of life together.

When Jasper had had chickenpox, Alice was by his side. She stayed by his bed the whole week and read comic books and watched TV with him until they both fell asleep.

The first time Alice was dumped, Jasper stayed with her the whole night, telling her that she was perfect and who ever didn't want her was truly missing out.

"Alice..." His voice was a soft murmur as he felt Alice's grip tighten around him before she pulled away with teary eyes.

"Hey now." Jasper traced his thumb along her cheek with an encouraging smile. "No tears. You promised."

She snorted before leaning into his touch. "So, I'm a liar."

Jasper let his smile widen before replying. "Nah, you're just a girl."

"Jerk." Alice shook her head and gazed at the ground before facing Jasper again.

"So this present of mine?"

Laughing, Jasper reached for the velvet bag again and presented it to her with an overdramatic gesture.

"Here you go, my lady."

Rolling her eyes, Alice opened the bag carefully and reached for the contents. As she pulled her hand back, she saw a beautiful silver necklace dangling between her fingers.

Hanging from the chain was a pearl, round and white. It was really simple, but so beautiful. Alice let out a small gasp as she admired the necklace. "How did you?"

"I was in town with Mom a few days ago when I passed the store and remembered that you were eyeing it some time ago."

"But Jazz, it was so exp-" He hushed her and took her free hand in his.

"Don't even worry about it, darling. You're worth every cent."

She smiled up at him. "Will you put it on for me?"

He seemed slightly surprised by her request, but motioned for her to turn around.

Handing over the necklace, she did exactly what he asked and pulled her long dark hair out of the way. Something about seeing her exposed neck made Jasper hesitate before he traced his fingers along her soft skin and fastened the necklace around Alice's neck. "There."

Alice turned around smiling and looking down at the necklace.

"It's beautiful. Thank you."

Silence fell again, and Jasper kept his eyes on Alice as she admired her new piece of jewelry. This was exactly how he was going to remember her.

Long dark hair, green eyes, slightly tanned skin from the long days on the beach. And that smile. He was never going to forget that smile.

Somewhere in the distance, a car honked its horn; it took a moment for Jasper to realize that it was his dad. He was waiting by the mailbox with a fully packed car.

Alice reacted to the noise as well and was watching Mr. Whitlock with a sad expression. "You have to go."

It was a simple fact but it was the hardest thing she'd ever had to tell him.

Locking eyes with each other again, they stood there for a few seconds just staring at each other before Jasper motioned for her to come forward. He embraced her in tight hug, and Alice closed her eyes while she traced the familiar strands of hair with her hand.

There were so many things she wanted to tell him at that second, but how did you really say good bye to your best friend? You just didn't. Not in Alice's world at least.

"Have fun in college."

Alice felt Jasper's grip tighten around her as she spoke.

"I will. And you stay good, okay?"

"I will." Her voice cracked and she felt the tears in her eyes.

"Keep on writing on that book. It's really good Alice."

She just nodded in response, even if she knew that he couldn't really see it.

"You sure you liked it?"

"Of course, I did. Although, I prefer my name over _Joshua_."

Laughing, Alice felt a tear trickle down her cheek. "It's a fictional story, Jazz."

"Whatever you say, sweetheart."

He hated the fact that he had to let go but it was time.

Carefully, he loosened his grip around Alice and felt her arms around him tighten in protest.

"Alice…"

She only responded with a small sob, and Jasper felt like his heart was breaking.

"I'll be back. You know that."

"Yeah…you'll be back for the holidays when I'm abroad with my family."

Something about her words made Jasper wish that his dad could be elsewhere than a few feet away from them. This moment felt too private to have parents around for.

"The summer will be here in no time. And you can always come and visit."

"New York? Yeah that's never going to happen with my parents."

Sighing, Jasper reached for Alice's hands and unlocked them gently before pulling away.

Her eyes were so beautiful, even if they were filled with tears.

"Goodbye, Alice."

She gave a small sob in reply before nodding.

"Bye, Jazz."

He smiled before picking up his bag that was resting next to the bench. Walking towards the car, he looked back and saw Alice standing there with one of her hands around the pearl necklace. Just like she was holding on to a memory she never wanted to forget.

Raising his hand to wave, Jasper felt a pang of guilt as he watched her wave back with her free hand.

"Ready to go, son?"

His dad was by his side, and his face held a sad and sympathetic expression. At least he understood that this was the hard part about leaving.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

Opening the car door, Jasper got in and pulled his bag down in his lap.

One of the smaller pockets was unzipped and he frowned, seeing the small piece of paper sticking out of it. As his father started the engine of the car, Jasper pulled out the small piece of paper and the chocolate bar that was attached to it.

_I thought you might get hungry on the way. Have a safe trip.  
>Love you,<br>Alice_

Looking up from the message, Jasper's eyes found Alice standing on her yard and his gaze stayed on her until she was just a small dot disappearing in the background.

Whoever said that leaving for college was the best thing that would ever happen to you clearly never had a friendship like Jasper had with Alice.

And it sucked. Big time.


	2. Little Next Door

_Present day, May 2011_

When you had a job, almost any job in the world, you were often forced to live in the same town as you worked. Sure, you could commute, but who really wanted to do that? Unless, of course, you were some sort of weirdo who needed a separate lifestyle when it came to work and fun.

That was Jasper Whitlock's view on commuting. Whether it was realistic or not, he didn't really care. What he did care about was that he was one of the lucky few who could live wherever he wanted and still do his job.

No, he wasn't a porn star who broadcast himself via the internet. No, Jasper did what he did best: he found people.

One could say that he would make an excellent agent in any industry, but Jasper's specialty didn't always stay on the right side of the law. He tended to find people for a generous sum. When so much money was involved, the person who wanted someone found was rarely a nice guy.

Regardless, it paid the rent, and it wasn't like Jasper actually got involved with the person hiring him. No, his job was simple: get a phone call, find the person, and deliver. Whatever happened after that…well, did he care? No, not really.

Of course, when the younger version of Jasper moved from Colusa, California, he never thought he would end up here. He went to college for Christ's sake. Majoring in…well, actually his major frequently changed. Not that it mattered with his decision to drop out during his second year. The rest – as they say – was history.

Pulling himself out of bed like every other morning, Jasper gazed at the view with a dull expression. His head was killing him, reminding him of a few too many drinks at the bar the previous night.

At least he didn't find an unknown woman in his bed. That was always something.

Not that he minded the idea of finding a new conquest in his bed. He just minded the part about waking up the next morning and awkwardly shoving them out of the door.

Reaching for the remote, Jasper flipped the TV on and pulled a shirt over his head. Another day, another job, another paycheck; it sounded pretty damn good in his ears.

As he made his way to the kitchen to cook some breakfast, Jasper found his phone on the coffee table. No new messages. It wasn't that unusual considering that it wasn't yet noon. Come to think of it: why on earth was he up at this hour?

"…_what I could be missing. But I'm missing way too much, so when do I give up what I've been wishing for?"_

The sad and annoying song turned Jasper's attention to the TV before he reached for the remote with a sigh and shut the damn thing off.

One thing to know about Jasper: he wasn't much for romance these days.

Focusing on breakfast, Jasper cracked a few eggs and adjusted the frying pan on the stove. Nothing could get him going like some fried eggs. Humming quietly to himself, Jasper prepared his eggs while brewing the coffee he needed to be good to go. Of course his happiness was short-lived as he took a few bites and heard the phone buzz.

_Breakfast or money?_

Considering Jasper was a man of few friends, he knew it was not someone calling to hang out, and his urge to pick up the phone took over_._

Setting down his plate Jasper checked the caller ID and noted that it wasn't a number he recognized. Rarely did Jasper work for the same man (or woman) twice.

Opening the phone, Jasper pressed it to his ear and waited. Paranoid? Well, maybe a little.

"_Hello. Mr. Whitlock?"_

"That would be me."

"_Oh good. I was worried that my acquaintance didn't give me a real number." _

Jasper didn't exactly advertise his business. If someone was satisfied with his work, word got around.

"_So Mr. Whitlock, I understand you find people?" _

Smirking, Jasper picked up his coffee and took a sip. "That depends on who's asking."

"_Oh yes, forgive me. My name is Mr. Thomas. Let's leave it at that. And as you may realize, I need your help finding something - someone, to be exact."_

"Yellow pages never occurred to you, Mr. Thomas?"

The tone in Mr. Thomas's voice shifted, and Jasper knew his moment of humor was over.

"_Don't be ridiculous. I called you because I hear you are the best." _

Pretty cool, right? Who wouldn't feel pride of his work when those words came up in a conversation?

"Well Mr. Thomas, by all means, do tell me the name of this special someone."

"_She is a friend of mine, a friend in hiding."_

"A name would be just fine, Mr. Thomas. I have no interest in your reasons of finding this lady."

There was a chuckle on the other line._ "I wouldn't call her a lady exactly. Not after meeting her at the place I did. But very well. Her name is Mary White. At least, this is the name I know her by." _

"And where did you last see Mary White?"

"_Chicago. But don't worry, I know her current location. I just need someone to reach her – someone she won't know – and gain her trust."_

"You do realize you haven't called a buddy system? I find and deliver. That's it."

"_Oh, I completely understand. But, I promise you a very handsome reward if you will stretch your services just a little bit." _There was silence and Jasper heard Mr. Thomas take a deep breath._ "I'm ready to double the price my friend paid you for a very good job on Harold Stone. I do believe you know him?" _

Jasper knew him, a middle-aged man who had terrible issues with his weight and cigarettes.

"Let me get this straight. I find this woman that you actually know the location of, do a little talking until she's weak in her knees, and bring her in? I do this and you pay me double the amount I received on my last job?"

Chuckling again, Mr. Thomas seemed to stretch out the suspense for a few minutes before replying._ "That is right."_

Smiling, Jasper opened the trash bin and dumped his breakfast in it before walking towards his bedroom.

"You've got yourself a deal Mr. Thomas. Tell me her exact location and I'll be there in less than 24 hours."

"Did you have a pleasant journey?"

Jasper looked up at the blonde flight attendant who was standing by the plane's exit. She was what an average man would call _hot_,and Jasper was pretty sure she knew this given her way of leaning towards him.

"Yes, I did. Thank you." Keeping his face composed, Jasper excused himself past her and kept on going, longing to feel solid ground under his feet.

Behind him, the flight attendant raised her voice slightly, clearly wanting Jasper's attention. "Well, I hope you enjoy Los Angeles, sir."

Giving her one last look, Jasper nodded his reply before disappearing out of the view.

Los Angeles was where young Mary White moved, and that's where Jasper would find her. Mr. Thomas had been very brief – thankfully – and Jasper ended up on a plane five hours later.

He also ended up with a picture of Mary White on his phone. Hence the fact that Jasper knew she was young.

She was young – probably the same age as Jasper – and had long blonde hair. She also wore ridiculously big sunglasses so he didn't know exactly what she looked like. Mr. Thomas promised that the café, or brasserie as it was called (a stupid name according to Jasper) she worked in these days was mainly stocked with an older woman or someone who wasn't as blonde as Mary.

Jasper thought it sounded easy enough.

_Little Next Door, 8142 West 3rd Street._

Looking up from the piece of paper Jasper scribbled the address on, he found himself looking at an awfully blue brasserie. Yes, Jasper had a hard time calling this place a simple café even if he hated the word _brasserie_.

The place was somehow more elegant than a typical café and not nearly as crowded as one. A few girls exited through the door. Jasper made his way inside, surprised when his stomach growled approvingly of the delicious smell that hung in the air.

It would seem his stomach craved something other than disgusting airplane food. Jasper wouldn't deny that a cup of coffee and some pie could do wonders to his current mood.

A man was just about to leave a small table by the window, and Jasper smiled politely as he stepped aside to let the man pass before taking a seat and looking out the window.

_Los Angeles…such a waste. _

It wasn't that L.A wasn't beautiful, but Jasper just didn't like it. He preferred something more isolated; such as an island where the only engine heard was the one coming from a boat.

A shadow cast over Jasper and an arm extended itself in front of him, picking up the coffee mug left behind by the old man. "Sorry, sir. You were just so quick to sit down that I didn't have time to clean up the table."

Nodding as a response, Jasper kept his eyes on the street with the passing people and the smiles that their faces held.

"Did you have a chance to look at the menu? There's this divine pastry that I would really recommend. It's my favorite."

Frowning, Jasper remembered something familiar about this situation. Perhaps it was the food messing with his head. Or maybe he was just tired. But something about the situation definitely seemed familiar.

Reaching out with her arm again, the waitress picked up an empty plate and let her blonde hair fall over her shoulder right into Jasper's radar. _Blonde. _She didn't sound old, either. Not that Jasper had looked. The waitress didn't seem to notice his moment of hesitation as she excused her intimacy towards the man she had just met and reached for one final item on the table, brushing her hair out of the way in the process. Revealing…a necklace. It was beautiful – if a man was allowed to say things like that – and something Jasper would buy if he had to go into a jewelry shop for some odd reason.

In fact… he had bought one just like it. A very long time ago, before he became a self centered jerk.

_Alice._

Looking away from the window, Jasper looked at the waitress in front of him. She was blonde, slender, and she was exactly like the picture.

And yet she was so much more than that because she was Alice. There was no question about it as Jasper gazed at her face.

Looking into those beautiful green eyes he remembered, Jasper felt his stomach tighten. This time it wasn't because he was hungry.

"Alice?"

She looked surprise before looking down at her shirt, probably looking for a nametag. But as she found none, she looked back at Jasper and frowned. A familiar expression, even if this face was more mature than the young girl he'd once known.

"I'm sorry I…" She looked startled, and for a moment Jasper remembered why he was here. It was to meet her, Mary White, a woman on the run.

If the woman was Alice Brandon, then it might be only natural for her to be slightly shocked that a mysterious and tired stranger was calling her name.

"Sorry. It's been a while I suppose."

She stared, trying to remember. It was so obvious in her eyes.

Smiling slightly, Jasper nodded towards her necklace. "I gave you that. Some time ago, of course, so I can't blame you for having trouble to remember. But, I do remember you saying that you would never forget me, so technically I am slightly hurt."

Her hand flew up to her necklace as her lips parted. They seemed fuller, more woman like. "Jazz?"

Her voice was weak as she kept on staring for a few more moments, as though she couldn't really believe it.

Just smiling, Jasper motioned for her to sit down. When she didn't, he sighed, "Seriously darling, sit down. You look like you're about to faint."

She blinked before sitting down across from him and slowly calming down from her little panic attack. Or whatever that had been.

"Jazz?" Her voice was steadier now.

"Yup, still me." Smirking slightly over his snarky comment, Jasper picked up a menu absentmindedly.

"I'm…I'm sorry, but what are you doing here?"

Looking up at Alice in surprise, Jasper registered something familiar in her voice: hurt. Still being the man he was these days, he overlooked it and focused on the question.

"Here as in Los Angeles? Or did you mean here as in next to you at the place you work?"

She pondered this for a moment before shrugging. "Both."

It was such a typical answer.

"Well, I am in town for business and I am hungry. How's that?"

Perhaps an even more typical answer, but Jasper wasn't paid for being good with his replies. He was paid to deliver. In this case, that delivery included Alice. Something he needed to investigate.

Surely, there had been some sort of mistake, unless Alice had gone on crack and become a whore, which was just ridiculous.

_Just as ridiculous as you turning into some sort of bounty hunter for bad guys who most likely kill the people you deliver. _

His subconscious had a point. He'd changed a lot from the day he left his best friend behind. So who was he to judge if Alice had done exactly the same?

For one thing, she seemed to have outgrown her brown hair and dyed it blonde. The Alice that used to cling to Jasper with an adorable laugh would never have given up her hair. She adored the brown color for some odd reason, not that there had been anything wrong with it.

Looking back at Alice, Jasper noticed that there were some more things that had changed. Her face was more angular, her lips were fuller, her eyes were framed with thick lashes, and her smile that Jasper had grown to know and love was gone.

Or perhaps it was just hiding until he would leave.

"So, you mentioned something about a pastry?"

Flipping through the menu quickly, he looked back at his old best friend and saw her frown before composing her face and getting up.

"That's right. It seems to please everybody, so if you want to play it safe I highly recommend it."

She was fidgeting with her fingers, and Jasper sighed before setting down the menu. "You're really going to treat me like I'm just a customer?"

"Well, isn't that why you are here? To get something to eat? Like a _customer_ would."

Ouch. She clearly hadn't lost her sarcasm during these years. "That was the plan. But it wasn't like I was expecting to find you here in the process."

It was partially true. He had been looking for the blonde waitress, but now that he knew who she was, Jasper wasn't as sure that he wanted to be here anymore. Not on a job anyway.

"It's been a while Jasper."

Not perhaps what he'd expected her to say as she gazed at him. The man looked like a stranger to Alice. For one thing, his hair was darker. But that didn't surprise her that much. Jasper's dad was blonde when he was younger, but the last time Alice saw him, his hair was as dark as her own used to be. Still, Jasper Whitlock looked nothing like the boy she remembered. Of course he'd aged, that part was only natural. He really did look like man rather than a boy, but it was the way he held himself. Tense, no smile playing on his lips, and above all, the emptiness in his eyes.

But, perhaps he was just tired. The bags under his eyes certainly suggested it.

"So how about I get you some coffee and that pastry?"

She gave him a polite smile that quickly faded as she saw his stiff nod and how his gaze averted back to the window. Clearing her throat, Alice started walking towards the counter, unaware of Jasper's eyes fixated on her back until she disappeared out of his view.


	3. Tick tock says the wooden clock

**A/N:** Hello strangers. I know it's been a while… over a month to be exact.  
>My excuse for this absence? A much needed vacation to Sweden by the end of 2011 and scheduling issues. None the less, I hope you forgive me and enjoy this next chapter! :)<br>It was by far one of the hardest chapters I've ever written. You have no idea how much I wanted to just give up and give away all the details about Mr. Thomas, Alice's past, Jasper's reasons and thoughts… but I stayed strong (and mysterious), hehe. So you'll have to bear with me a little while longer! Trust me… it will be worth the wait.

I didn't have a chance to go through this chapter with my beta and since English isn't my native tongue I apologize if there are any huge grammar errors.

Big shout outs to Katiecav1989 (on twitter) and Koko who helped me out with this chapter.

_- Bambino_

* * *

><p><em><span>Chapter 2: "Tick tock says the wooden clock."<span>_

"Alice, my dear. I think there's someone here to see you."

The old lady that once had hired Alice smiled tenderly as she nodded towards a table by the window. Oh, the things she would have done to have a gorgeous customer like that asking for her attention. Of course he was more age appropriate for Alice. Not that Alice seemed to be in any hurry to get to him. She simply averted her gaze from the computer screen and watched the customer. The corner of her lips turned up into a small smile but she didn't let the smile reach her eyes. Instead she cleared her throat and picked up her notepad and walked over to him.

"Back again?" Alice tapped her pen against her notepad as she watched Jasper raise his head from the menu and smile at her.

"Of course, darlin'. I told you I would be coming back until you agreed to talk to me."

This was true. After their first meeting, Alice had made it very clear to Jasper that she didn't really feel comfortable having him around and that he should go. He had responded by saying that she was being unfair and that he wasn't going anywhere.

Jasper kept on coming back. Every morning for the past six days he had shown up, ordered a tuna sandwich and tried to get Alice to melt. Not the easiest task in the world. It would seem that years of being apart had made Alice slightly immune to Jasper's charm.  
>Or maybe she was simply too pissed to want him around. He hadn't exactly been such a good friend after he left for college. Of course he had his reasons for acting the way he had acted. Then again, Alice had never heard those reasons.<p>

"To be fair, I do talk to you. I talk to you every day when I ask you for your order."

Jasper chuckled and put aside his menu.

"Whatever you say darlin'."

Alice had always been able to read Jasper like an open book when they were younger. Now she was forced to trying to analyze every word he spoke. Something that wasn't easy when you only exchanged a few words every morning with a man who might as well have been a stranger to her.

She could of course just give in and agree to have dinner with him, something he suggested every morning after he got his sandwich. But agreeing to that was like letting him win. He'd started this little war when he disappeared from her radar all those years ago and Alice wasn't about to surrender. Not that easily at least.

"So a tuna sandwich and a coffee? Or would you prefer something else this morning?"

Scribbling down the familiar order Alice watched Jasper shift in his seat and reach for something in his pocket.

"I think I'll stick with my regular order."

"All right then. I'll bring it out to you as soon as I can."

As Alice turned around Jasper sighed and reached for her, placing his hand gently on her arm. She stopped and turned around with a cautious expression on her face.

"I brought you something."

Her expression didn't change as Jasper spoke and he wanted to roll his eyes at Alice and her stubbornness. Instead he placed the item in question in her hand.  
>Alice frowned and lifted it closer to her face. It was a picture of her and Jasper. They must have been about fifteen in the picture.<p>

"I found it in my wallet last night. Guess you put it there at some point."

She recognized it then. The background in the picture was a park they'd visited with their families one spring. Alice had just turned sixteen and her parents had insisted on taking her somewhere to celebrate. Of course she had only agreed if Jasper and his family could come along.

The picture showed Jasper having his arms around Alice and they were both smiling towards the camera. Something about the way Jasper's head was resting on Alice's shoulder in the picture was oddly comforting. That was the Jasper she remembered and wanted to see in front of her. Instead she got some guarded and mysterious version of the boy she'd used to know.

"This was taken ages ago. Don't you ever clean out your wallet?" Holding the picture in her hands, Alice gave away a small - and sarcastic - smile.

Jasper laughed as if Alice's statement was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard.

"I really seem like the type who cleans out his wallet? Come on, Alice. You know me better than that."

"Actually, I'm not sure I know who you are anymore, Jasper."

There was silence as Alice fidgeted with her necklace and Jasper looked away slightly uncomfortable.  
>Around them the room started to fill up as rush hour hit L.A.<p>

"I should probably go and get your breakfast."

"Yeah… probably a good idea."

Embarrassed over her words, Alice quickly turned around and walked back towards the counters. She actually felt horrible for her words. Not that they had been that harsh to begin with but she knew Jasper's well enough to know that if he had no comment to reply with then she had hit a weak spot.

_He used to be your friend. At least try and show some kindness towards him! _

Alice's subconscious seemed to scold at her as she gathered Jasper's order.

As she carried it back towards the table, Jasper looked up and removed his wallet from the small table so that Alice's tray could be placed down.

"Here you go. One tuna sandwich and a cup of coffee."

"Thanks."

Smiling, Alice nodded.

"You're welcome."

They grew silent again and Alice bit her lip as she watched Jasper. He was looking back at her with a serious expression. Or maybe it was more guarded than serious. None the less, it wasn't a happy face.  
>Preparing herself to walk away, Alice cleared her throat at the same time as Jasper spoke.<p>

"Have dinner with me."

She looked back at him and sighed.

"Jasper, I thought we'd gone over this."

"I know." His lips turned up into a smile. "And I said I wouldn't give up. Besides... wouldn't you enjoy it much more if you had a whole evening to insult me rather than a few hours in the morning?"

She shook her head, a smile playing on her lips. Alice picked up the empty tray.

"I would. But I don't think dinner is a good idea."

"And why is that?"

"Because-" Hesitating, Alice watched Jasper smirk as if he knew he had a solid point. "Because we're not the same people we used to be, Jasper."  
>Raising an eyebrow Jasper took a sip of his coffee before resting his chin in the palm of his hand.<p>

"So? Even more reason to have that dinner. Get to know each other…again."  
>Still biting her lip Alice glanced back towards the counters and the clock that was hanging on the wall. Her shift wasn't going to be over for another six hours.<p>

"I don't know, Jasper…"

"Alice."

Returning her gaze back to her former best friend, Alice shrugged.

"Alice, all I ask for is one chance to explain myself."

His expression had softened and Alice found herself watching the ghost of her best friend. That sad expression reminded her so much of that day when he left. The last time she had seen him until six days ago when Jasper showed up unannounced at her work place.

"I get off at four. Come back then… and we can talk." Seeing how Jasper was about to speak Alice lifted a finger to silence him. "But no dinner. We can go for a walk and talk. But that's it."

Alice watched Jasper smile a familiar boyish grin. God she wanted to punch that pretty face of his.

"Okay. We'll go for a walk… and talk."

Now she really wanted to hit him. Maybe not in the face… a smack on the arm seemed fair though.

_Smug bastard._

"I gotta get back to work. I'll see you at four?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Making a sarcastic snort Alice placed the picture Jasper had given her earlier on the table.

"This is yours. I'll see you later."

Time seemed to pass awfully slowly that day for Jasper, probably because he wasn't that interested in L.A and its culture. Yet he strolled around and tried to occupy his time with something else than with sitting in his hotel room. Truth to be told, if he had to spend one more day locked inside that room he was going to kill himself.

_Bet Alice would love that. _

It wasn't like she hated him, even Jasper could tell that much. But the way she talked to him with no warmness in her voice. She treated him like… like _Mike freaking Newton._  
>Jasper could still remember how that guy had been following Alice around in high school, trying to hold her attention long enough to tell her that he was madly in love with her or something.<p>

_God, I'm Mike Newton! _

No, he refused to be that guy. Being _that guy_was just pathetic.

Rounding the last corner, Jasper reached his destination and stopped when he saw Alice.  
>She was standing in front of the brasserie with her phone in hand. Her blond hair – that had been pulled up into a ponytail during her shift – was hanging loose around her shoulders. As if sensing Jasper's presence she looked up and smiled. It was a tiny smile… but it was a smile.<p>

"Tick tock says the wooden clock." Her voice was chipper as she walked towards Jasper, who was looking at her with a curious expression. "You're late."

Jasper rolled his eyes.

"Only by a couple of minutes."

Of course knowing Alice, Jasper should have been here ten minutes before Alice's shift ended.  
>He could almost imagine her staring at the clock, glancing every now and then out through the window and checking if he had showed up.<p>

"Sorry. L.A isn't exactly my hometown. I got a little bit lost on my way here."

"Oh, you were out sightseeing?"

The tone of her voice surprised him. She sounded… impressed. Was it really that surprising that he was trying to get to know the city?  
>A lazy grin appeared on his face.<p>

"Yes and no. I got bored staying at the hotel all day long."

Snorting, Alice walked passed him and gave him a nod to follow.

"Come on. I'm walking so you better follow and start talking."

"So are you going to tell me what happened to you?"

They were walking down a dark alley. A shortcut if you asked Alice but Jasper wasn't too fond of the idea of Alice taking this "shortcut" before… all alone.

"Depends… what do you want to know?" Thrusting his hands into his pockets, Jasper kept his gaze steadily in front of him even if he was aware of Alice staring at him.

"How about you start with the fact that you never came back?"

"It' complicated. But you know what happened." Feeling the emotions he always felt when thinking about it, Jasper tried to hide his annoyance from Alice. Not that he had succeeded. Alice could see the change in his expression. But Jasper had promised they would talk and he wasn't exactly a fool. He knew she was going to ask about this.

"Yes, I know what happened. Still doesn't explain why you disappeared, Jasper. If anything you should have come back and let me be there for you. Like friends usually do in those situations."

She had a point and he knew it. Alice had been waiting for him to come back, to come back to her so that she could be the friend she thought she was to him. Only, Jasper hadn't come back.

"Like I said, it's complicated."

"Complicated, my ass."

Even if the situation wasn't amusing, Alice's choice of words actually got Jasper smiling.

"Wow… who knew you had such a potty mouth, Alice."

She looked at him, stunned, before composing herself and looking away.

"Shut up."

Jasper smile grew bigger.

"Are you blushing?"

She was. And he was actually enjoying it. Who knew some color in someone's cheeks could be so entertaining.

"I said shut up!"

Not wanting any more attention to her burning cheeks, Alice picked up her pace and kept her eyes firmly on the road. She was not going to stay there and let Jasper enjoy the fact that he got her blushing.  
>Of course being her former best friend, Jasper was aware what she was trying to do and he followed. Not wanting to upset her more, he picked up the previous and uncomfortable topic.<p>

"I changed that spring. After what happened… it just wasn't the same. I wasn't the same."

His honesty pulled Alice mind back from the gutter (so to speak). Her eyes flickered to Jasper's face and her expression grew gentler as she watched his smile falter.

"That's not so surprising. No one would be the same after an event like that."

"Event?"

"You know what I mean, Jasper." At least she hoped he did. "My point is that I don't blame you for changing. I blame you for not talking to me. You just disappeared. Every little inch of you went away when you needed a friend the most."

_Ouch, way to rub it in, Alice. _

Alice sure knew how to make him feel guilty even after all these years. In a way Jasper had always thought that that was one of her most powerful assets.

"Alice…"

"No, don't Alice me. You know I'm right."

And her biggest liability was probably the fact that she couldn't shut up. Not even when Jasper was trying to tell her something. The thought of that fact brought another smile to Jasper's face as he watched her.

"Alice…"

"And don't you even dare tell me that I'm being a total girl about this."

_Oh for crying out loud. _Enough was enough.

"Alice!"

"What?"

"Calm down. You're acting as if you live in Crazyville."

Crazyville was something Alice had used to call Jasper when he was suggesting something crazy. The thought of being the crazy one had Alice mortified. She was supposed to be the smart one! The one who always pulled Jasper away from Crazyville.

"I am not on the edge of going to Crazyville!"

"You so are."

Laughing, Jasper leaned against a tree and watched Alice. In return, she was watching him with an annoyed expression.

"Don't laugh at me!"

Seizing the moment she punched him on the arm and Jasper looked at her with a surprised expression.

"Hey, that hurt!"

Smirking, Alice sat down on a bench nearby and folded her hands into her lap.

"You asked for it."

Rolling his eyes, Jasper joined her on the bench. It hadn't actually hurt; she was too tiny to do any huge damage on him… not physically anyway. She did though, have a gift for screwing with him mentally.  
>Gazing at Alice, Jasper smiled again and nudged her.<p>

"Crazyville."

Rolling her eyes, Alice crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back.

"Jerk."

Lying in bed that night, Jasper tried to compose his mixed feelings.  
>Alice didn't seem to hate him – which was good – but in a way Jasper almost wished she would have told him to go to hell and never speak to her again. Because if Alice told him to go to hell then Jasper would be off the hook as far as his job was concerned.<p>

He could call Mr. Thomas and say that he was the wrong man for the job. That Mr. Thomas would be better off choosing someone else to take care of the matter.  
>Of course the thought of having someone else following Alice caused Jasper to shiver.<p>

No, better that he was the one doing the job. That way he at least knew that she wasn't getting hurt.  
>The fact that he didn't know what Alice had done was killing him. What kind of man would want to hurt Alice enough to send some mysterious man after her?<p>

Thankfully Alice had been smart enough to introduce herself as Mary when she met Mr. Thomas. Not giving Mr. Thomas her real name was probably the only thing that had saved her in the first place.

But _why _was she Jasper's target? It wasn't like he could just walk up to her and ask. He did that and Alice would slap him and take off. And if she did that then Jasper could count on never getting to see her again.

_Fuck!_

Seemed like the most appropriate word to describe the situation with. All though Jasper would prefer it if there was no situation to begin with. Even if that meant that he wouldn't have met Alice again after all these years. At least he would know she was safe and living some boring and ordinary life instead of being wanted by Mr. Thomas.

Jasper groaned and buried his face into his pillow, something he did every night to calm down before falling asleep.  
>Closing his eyes, Jasper took a deep breath and let the last words of their conversation that evening take over his tired mind.<p>

_"So I'll see you tomorrow?" _

_"Yeah, you'll see me tomorrow." _

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><p><em><strong>*hides behind her bed and waits for a reaction* <strong>_

**So, what did you think? Reviews are adored and I promise to try and get the next chapter up before the end of this month.**


	4. Sweetheart

**A/N**: Hi guys! I hope you are well. I've been really busy lately _(okay, I'm always busy)_ BUT here's chapter 3. I hope you enjoy it, I was sure to include lots of the "old Jalice friendship".  
>And don't hesitate to review, you know I adore that! ;)<p>

Thank you to Hmmille, Mimi, Katie & Helle for helping me out with this chapter.

Also; next chapter will focus on Alice & Mr. Thomas. Can you say _flashback chapter_? ;)

- Bambino xx

_Ps: I'll post the playlist for this story at the end of this chapter. all the songs on that list inspire me while I write. So basically, this story is a mix of all the songs put together!_

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><p>Chapter 3<br>**_~*~Sweetheart~*~_**

The events of the evening seemed to haunt Alice's dreams that night. Or maybe _haunt_ wasn't the right word to describe the dreams? After all, the memories were pleasant and couldn't therefore be called nightmares. Either way, it felt like forever since Alice had last woken up feeling well rested and happy to get to work. Sitting up in her bed, Alice reached for her phone, scrolling down the contact list and stopping at Jasper's name. "Jasper…" Smiling, she let out a small sigh and put aside her phone before getting up.

The thought of seeing him that evening brought another smile to her face. Not only because she rarely went out these days, but because after last night, Alice felt somehow more connected to her old life—to the girl she used to be before everything started to go wrong.

Of course, that didn't mean that all was good in the world. It just meant that for once, in what felt like a very long time, Alice had been able to relax. And if everything went as planned, tonight would be no different.

-v-

Jasper had stayed up all night, trying to figure out what to do. But it seemed like he couldn't think while lying in bed. So instead, when the sun was up, he headed towards the park and started running. Running and thinking. Feeling the pressure on his lungs and with music blasting through his headphones, Jasper was able to ignore everything around him and just think. It seemed almost reckless not to pay attention to his surroundings but then again, Jasper wasn't the target. Alice was. Which was exactly why Jasper needed to keep on running and figure this thing out. But it seemed like all the thinking in the world wouldn't help him to figure this thing out. Why did Mr. Thomas want Alice found? She was just a girl after all. She was pure, honest and innocent. There was no way she could be mixed up with someone like Mr. Thomas.

"Fuck!" Stopping as if that would help him think, Jasper gasped for air while earning a scowl from a young mother who was dragging her son along. No doubt they both had just heard Jasper curse, not that he cared. The kid would learn sooner or later the meaning of swearing.

Taking a few deep breaths, Jasper started walking towards his hotel. It wasn't far away and Jasper quickly found himself in his bathroom. Stripping away his sweaty clothes, he stared at himself in the mirror. Dark circles were visible under his eyes, bringing it to every one's attention that Jasper hadn't been sleeping much lately. But how could he with Alice on his mind every single hour of the day?

Nevertheless, he should try and get some sleep before dinner tonight. If there was one person who would notice these dark circles within seconds, it was Alice. She always had a talent to worry about other's well-being and there was no reason to worry her about what was keeping Jasper up at night.

-v-

Making her way down to the lobby, Alice caught a glimpse of herself in the elevator mirror. She appeared as if she'd gone all out, but it would depend on whose opinion you were asking. To Alice this was just an outfit among many, but the little girl next to her in the elevator seemed to gaze at Alice—and her dress—with adoring eyes.

The dress was dark blue, made out of satin, and cut to right above Alice's knees. The top exposed her neck and ended with a deep V, revealing some cleavage. And to top it all off, the dress had small cap sleeves and a matching satin belt that cinched the waist, highlighting Alice's curves in the perfect way.

Smiling, Alice looked at the little girl. "You like the dress?"

The girl looked up at the woman next to her, her mom if Alice wasn't mistaken, before returning her gaze to Alice's dress. "It's pretty."

Smiling tenderly towards the little girl, Alice stroked the hem of her dress and nodded.  
>"It is."<p>

The elevator stopped and Alice got out, greeting the doorman before buttoning up her jacket and hailing a cab. She was wearing heels after all, not really the appropriate footwear if you wanted to walk to the restaurant. "1393 Westwood Boulevard, please."

The driver nodded and Alice leaned back, watching the streetlights and buildings as they drove towards the restaurant. Los Angeles was beautiful. Alice had always dreamed of it when she was younger. Of course, back then her dreams included her becoming a pop star and taking Los Angeles by storm. Not exactly the situation she was living in right now, but one could always dream.

"Beautiful night, isn't it?"

Alice focused her gaze on the driver. "Yes, it is."

He had to be about thirty years old. His hair was dark, like Alice's used to be, and his eyes were icy blue. An odd combination when you thought about it. Maybe his hair was dyed? Or maybe he wore contact lenses?

"You heading out to meet your friends?"

That was a rather personal question to ask. Then again, Alice had no right to judge a man who spent his Saturday evening driving her to a restaurant. "One to be exact. He's a friend from the past."

"Ah, an old flame?"

Laughing, Alice shook her head. "No, we're just friends. But it's been a while since we've seen each other." Alice could see the driver smiling. Returning the smile she kept on going with a gentle tone. "What are you smiling about?"

"Oh, I'm just thinking about how rare it is to see a girl get all dressed up on a Saturday night if the boy is just a _friend_."

Alice averted her gaze from the man. She wasn't exactly keen on the idea of discussing Jasper with a man she had just met._ Jasper and I are just friends. If even that. _ Seeing the familiar building up ahead, Alice beamed and took out her wallet. The faster she could escape all these questions, the better.

Stopping in front of the small restaurant, the taxi driver turned around and Alice offered him the money. "Here you go. Keep the change."

An odd smile formed on his lips as he accepted the money. "Thank you, miss."

Nodding, Alice opened the car door but stopped when she felt a hand on her arm. Turning around, she watched the taxi driver cautiously. He seemed to be calm enough.

"You have a pleasant evening, miss."

"Um, thank you." Feeling slightly uncomfortable, Alice moved her hand away from the man at the same time she heard a familiar voice.

"Alice?"

_Thank God. _Getting out of the cab—quickly—Alice slammed the door shut, swung around, and came face to face with Jasper. "Hi!" Her voice was a little too enthusiastic, even for Alice, and Jasper raised an eyebrow in question.

"You all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I was just having a weird moment with the driver." Nodding towards the cab that was speeding away, Alice took a deep breath and smiled towards Jasper. "Did you have any trouble getting here?"

Jasper offered Alice his arm and watched her take it. "No. No problems at all. Apparently this place is very good. At least that's what my taxi driver told me."

Frowning, Alice looked upon the building. "That's weird. This place isn't really that well known."

"Maybe he's a customer? He recommended the Pollo Di—" _Damn it, what was the dish called that the driver had talked about? Pollo something… _

Alice, who was watching Jasper with a curious expression, nudged him gently and then nodded towards the menu next to the entrance. "Pollo Dijon?"

Hearing the familiar word, Jasper nodded. "Yeah, how did you know that?"  
>Laughing, Alice resisted the urge to tease Jasper. "Well, unlike some of us…" Okay, no such luck. "…this isn't my first time here."<p>

Jasper rolled his eyes at her.

"Whatever. I'm starving so why don't we go inside and get something to eat. I do believe that's what restaurants are for."

Alice laughed. "You're right. It's time to educate you in proper Italian food."

Opening the door to Pomodoro Trattoria, a cozy little Italian restaurant, Alice was able to inhale the delicious scent of all the food. She felt as if she had died and gone to food heaven.  
>Jasper on the other hand, didn't seem that impressed…yet.<p>

"Hello and welcome to Pomodoro Trattoria," a girl, about the same age as Alice, greeted them with a polite smile. "Do you have a reservation?"

Unbuttoning her jacket, Alice looked up and nodded. "Yes, it's under the name Whitlock."

Jasper looked at her questionably. Why was the reservation under his name?  
>The hostess didn't seem to notice his confusion though, as she scanned the list for the name and finally smiled as she found it.<p>

"Ah, yes. Here we go. We've got a nice little table for you by the windows, Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock."

Jasper and Alice both shrugged off their jackets and looked at the girl. "Oh, I—" Alice, wasn't sure what to say to that. Surely the girl could bother to look at their fingers before assuming that they were married.

Jasper was the first one to speak. "That sounds great. Mind taking care of our jackets?" Perfectly aware of the hangers on the wall not far from them, Jasper watched the hostess until she nodded and reached for their jackets.

Alice, slightly embarrassed by Jasper's demand, handed over her jacket with a small smile before noticing Jasper watching her. Having had enough weird glances from people today, Alice cleared her throat before facing him. "What?"

Seeming surprised by her sudden question, Jasper composed himself and tried to shrug it off. "You look nice, that's all."

Looking down at her dress, as if just remembering that she was wearing it, Alice let out a small "Oh" before looking up at the hostess who was waiting.

"If you'll just follow me." The hostess—whose name was Amy, according to her nametag—guided them through the crowded room to a small table by one of the windows.  
>"Here we are. I hope the table is to your liking."<p>

Neither Jasper nor Alice had any objections about the table and simply thanked Amy before she left to notify a waitress about their arrival.

Being the gentleman that he sometimes was, Jasper smiled towards Alice and pulled out her chair. Giving him a smile in return, Alice sat down and thanked him. When both were seated, Jasper offered her a menu.

"So, should I order the Pollo Dijon or do you have any other recommendations?"

Alice looked up from her menu. "Doesn't really matter what you pick as your main dish." Seeing the unspoken question in Jasper's eyes, Alice kept on going. "It's the bread that's the best part. I could probably eat it for weeks and not get tired of it."

Smiling, Jasper watched Alice as she talked. Bread wasn't exactly the most fascinating topic on earth but somehow she managed to keep him interested. Maybe it was the way Alice's eyes lit up when she was in a place that served her favorite food—or well, bread.  
>A waitress asked for their drink order and left to fetch it. Not that Jasper or Alice seemed to notice her absence because they kept on talking until Alice saw the waitress return with their drinks and a basket full of her favorite bread. It was almost ridiculous how excited she grew.<p>

"Here we go. A beer for you, sir. And a glass of white wine for the lady."

Jasper could almost hear Alice's thoughts. _Give me the bread! Give me the god damn bread! _He resisted a laugh. "And of course, here's your basket of bread. Now, do you need another minute to think about your order?"

Jasper glanced at Alice before shaking his head and folding his menu together.  
>"No, that's all right. Why don't you bring out two orders of Pollo Della Casa for us, sweetheart?"<br>Slightly flushed after hearing the gorgeous man call her _sweetheart_, the waitress nodded and turned, leaving Jasper alone with a suspicious Alice.

Sensing the change in Alice's mood, Jasper watched her for a few seconds before giving up. "What's on your mind, Alice?"

She smiled—maybe not one of her kindest smiles—before replying. "Sweetheart?"  
>Leave it to Alice to be upset about the silliest things. She could have been mad about Jasper ordering for her, but instead she chose to be upset over one little word.<p>

Still, while Alice was the one to get mad about trivial things, Jasper was the one who couldn't back down without having some fun with it. "Mmm, jealous?" Smirking, he raised his beer in a salute and watched as Alice took her wine glass in her hands and raised it as well.

"Not even in your dreams, Mr. Whitlock."

Both smiling now, they took a sip from their drinks and watched the other one with a challenging expression. Of course, the hilarious moment was ruined when Alice's gaze fell on the bread for just a few seconds and Jasper started to laugh.

"Oh, go ahead. Eat your bread…Mrs. Whitlock."

Looking at Jasper, Alice felt the urge to smack him again but ended up laughing instead. The whole situation just seemed so silly. "Remind me next time to make a reservation for Alice Brandon _and_ Jasper Whitlock. It will probably save us all some confusion and laughter."

"Whatever you say, _Mrs. Whitlock_."

Blushing, Alice lowered her gaze and cleared her throat. Time to switch to another topic. "So, I thought you were going to order Pollo Dijon."

"Ah, and here I thought you were gonna lash out at me for ordering _for_ you."  
>While looking at each other, Jasper reached for the basket filled with bread. It was time to find out what all the fuss was about. It was, after all, just bread.<p>

"I would have…but you managed to pick my favorite dish out of the menu, so I figured I would be forgiving."

Just taking his first bite of the bread, Jasper looked up and tried to smile, earning a giggle from Alice. The sight of Jasper trying to smile while his mouth was filled with bread was rather amusing. "How's the bread, Jazzy?"

Swallowing the bread, Jasper reached for his beer. "It's good. Not as good as this beer, though."

Rolling her eyes at him, Alice leaned back and sighed. "So this is nice. Dinner, I mean."

Smirking, Jasper looked up at Alice who seemed to be eyeing him as well. "Says the girl who hasn't even had her dinner yet."

"Come on, Jazz. You know what I mean."

He did. He just couldn't resist teasing her. "So I take it you're glad that I kept on coming back for you then, Alice?"

Not answering at first, Alice simply watched Jasper while she took a few sips of her wine. The way he watched her, it was almost as if Jasper tried to force her into relaxing mode. His eyes were gentle, yet observing. Something he had learned from her, no doubt. "I guess I am, strangely enough."

Both smiling, they locked eyes with each other but were soon interrupted by the waitress and the smell of the food.

"Here we are." Leaning in over Jasper, a little bit too closely if you asked Alice, the waitress set down the plates and gave a smile. "Is there anything else that I can do for you?"

The question was obviously directed at Jasper, so Alice tried her best not to listen. Not much at least.

Jasper on the other hand tried his best not to laugh at Alice as he saw her expression change from calm and happy to a more guarded one. _Poor Alice. Always so jealous of other girls. _Not that she had any reason to be. Looking up at the waitress, Jasper smiled politely before shaking his head. "No thank you, _we're_ fine."

Taken aback from the rejection, the waitress bit her lip and took a step back.  
>"Well, can I get the two of you another refill?"<p>

Eyeing Alice, Jasper smiled crookedly before returning his gaze to the scolding woman next to him. "No, thank you."

Nodding again, the waitress retreated and left Jasper alone with Alice. Who, at least from where Jasper was watching, seemed to be gazing at the plate of food in front of her adoringly. _She really does love her Italian food. _

Raising his glass and getting Alice's attention, Jasper smiled and cleared his throat.  
>"Before I lose you completely to the food," Seeing Alice grimace, Jasper chuckled and kept on going. "Here's to us and an unforgettable evening."<p>

Smiling gently, Alice met Jasper's glass in a salute before replying. "Here's to us."

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><p><strong>The One That Got Away - Playlist:<strong>

Chameleon - Betty Trouble  
>Mary's Song - Taylor Swift<br>When I first Saw you - Jamie Foxx  
>Bad Romance - Lady Gaga<br>She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5  
>I'm Yours - The Script<br>Sing For Me - Yellowcard  
>Sweet Misery - Lisa Miskovsky<br>Fix You - Coldplay  
>Take Me As I am - Fm Static<br>Cosmic Love - Florence & The Machine  
>Stop &amp; Stare - OneRepublic<br>Say (All I need) - OneRepublic  
>Everybody Loves Me - OneRepublic<br>This Love - Maroon 5  
>Tears Of An Angel - RyanDan<br>Best Of You - Foo Fighters  
>Can't Take It - The All-American Rejects<br>For The First Time - The Script  
>Down - Jason Walker<br>It Is You - Dana Glover  
>Beside You - Marianas Trench<br>This Song Is About You - Olly Murs  
>Holding Out For a Hero - Ella Mae Bowen<br>Only One - Alex Band  
>Rubik's Cube - Athlete<br>I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Kurt Schneider  
>Crawl - Superchick<br>A Drop In The Ocean - Ron Pope


	5. Chicago

**A/N:** The time has come... for another chapter! And as promised you will get to know more about Mr. Thomas and our beloved Alice.

After writing this chapter I realized that there is so much more to be said about these two characters that I decided to save some info for later (as in "another flashback chapter later")!

I hope you enjoy this chapter. I want to thank **Hmmille, Mimi & Katie** for helping me out.

Also, as you may have noticed, I go by the name of "**Jajjo**" these days here on and twitter (JajjoFF).

Remember to check out the playlist for this story at the end of this chapter. As for this chappy I recommend "Sweet Misery" by Lisa Miskovsky.

As always, let me know what you think. Reviews mean the world to me.

- Jajjo xx

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><p>Chapter 4<br>_~*~Chicago~*~_

_**April 2011**_

"Just remember to smile and use your body to your advantage. There is nothing called 'too much' in this place." Elizabeth Evans gave the young girl an encouraging smile. It was never easy introducing a new girl to the club. The place wasn't exactly paradise and the fact that every girl who worked here was basically there to trick men to empty their wallets made Elizabeth's heart ache. Especially since this new girl was young, barely legal if she had to guess. "So do you have any more questions, sweetheart? I made sure that your first shift ends early, that was you can count on an easy first day. Most customers show up after sundown."

The young girl looked up and smiled sweetly. "I think I got it. I can't even begin to thank you for this Elizabeth."

"Oh, don't thank me, Alice. This hardly is a dream job." Looking at the blonde girl in front of her, Elizabeth sighed. "I'm slightly worried for you, Alice. You are awfully young for this kind of job."

Surprised by the statement, Alice tried to sooth her boss with another smile. "I was under the impression that most of the girls here are about my age?"

"Yes, they are. But most of them are young runaways. So you must see why I'm worried about you. You don't seem like a girl who's running from a horrible family."

Shrugging, Alice opened the door and looked at Elizabeth. "I'm not. I'm just a girl trying to start over."

Knowing that that was the end of their conversation, Elizabeth nodded and followed Alice out. "Very well, let's get to work then. Remember, out here, we never call each other by our own names. So when we enter that room I'm Carmen."

Smiling, Alice closed the door behind them before answering "I understand, _Carmen_. And don't worry, I won't forget."

~v~

During her first month at work, Alice – or Mary as she had chosen to called during business hours – quickly became custom to the rules and ways of the club. She would greet the men who came in, direct them to a table and then send someone over to take their order. If it was a drink or something else, Alice never dared to ask. All she knew was that those customers who disappeared into the private rooms, rarely turned out to be nice people.

The club wasn't exactly a dream job. Far from it actually but Alice needed the money. How else was she going to afford her apartment? Asking her parents for the money was out of the question and working at an office wouldn't pay enough to cover the rent.

So she stayed at the club. And putting aside the scumbags that came in, it wasn't that bad. The girls who worked with Alice were all nice. They would always gush over Alice's beautiful blonde hair – which apparently didn't look as fake as Alice had thought – or how all the dresses fitted Alice so perfectly. In a way these young women became Alice's second family.

"Alice, would you toss me that brush?"

Looking up, Alice smiled towards Hayley and handed her the brush.

They were in the backroom, getting ready for their shift like every other day. Alice, who was checking up on her makeup, hummed quietly to herself as she got ready. She was wearing a short black dress and red stilettos. _A perfect outfit_ as Elizabeth would say.

Brushing her hair over her shoulder, Alice smiled and turned towards Hayley. "What do you think? Presentable enough to greet customers?"

Smirking, Hayley nodded. "Presentable and desirable. You're gonna have the men drooling all over you, Ali." With a wink, she got up and linked her arm with Alice. "Shall we get to work, my darling?"

Nodding, Alice took a deep breath as they walked out to the loud and somewhat crowded room.

"See you after work_, Mary_." Blowing a kiss towards Alice, Hayley smiled and made her way towards the bar. Alice on the other hand walked up to Elizabeth who was standing close to the door, talking to a man. His back was turned to Alice so she couldn't be sure, but she was almost certain that the man in question wasn't a regular. At least she didn't remember seeing him before.

Walking up to her boss, Alice plastered on a smile and cleared her throat. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything, Carmen."

Meeting Alice's eyes, Elizabeth smiled and placed a hand on the man's arm. "Not at all, darling. We were just catching up. Mr. Thomas here has been out of town and was telling me all about Paris."

Ah, so he was a regular then. Just one of those customers that sometimes took off for a month or two to travel and work. "Well, if that's the case perhaps I can show you to a table… Mr. Thomas?"

Keeping her polite smile on her face, Alice waited for Mr. Thomas to turn around. Why he hadn't done that yet, she didn't know. Finally he cleared his throat and turned around to face her.

Alice felt her breath hitch. The man was gorgeous. Or perhaps handsome was a better word to use? Armani suite, dark hair, perfectly tanned and green eyes that were boring into hers. In fact, the way he looked at her was so intense that Alice had to constantly remind herself of how to breathe.

Elizabeth seemed oblivious to the stares and continued the conversation. "I think that's a wonderful idea. I was just about to leave anyway. Mr. Thomas, I don't believe you've met Mary before?"

"No I haven't. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mary." He reached for her hand and touched it momentarily to his lips before letting go.

Stunned by the gesture and the way Mr. Thomas pronounced her name, Alice swallowed and tried to compose herself. "Likewise, Mr. Thomas." Smiling sweetly, Alice waited until Elizabeth was out of the way before continuing. "Shall we?" Gesturing towards the bar, Alice felt her confidence build up again. Surely the man was gorgeous but he was still just another customer. So he shouldn't be that hard to entertain.

Mr. Thomas motioned for Alice to lead the way. As she walked with him, she placed her hand on his arm gently. If he was a regular she might as well try her best to please him. And that meant a lot of touching. "So tell me about yourself, Mr. Thomas. How was Paris?"

Mr. Thomas gave a small sigh before answering. "I never really liked Paris. So you could say that the trip was rather boring."

"Oh? I've heard that Paris is gorgeous. Not that I've ever been."

Smiling at the innocent statement that his hostess had made, Mr. Thomas ordered two glasses of champagne from the bar before facing her again. "No? Well, perhaps I should take you sometime? Who knows, maybe your company could get me to change my mind about the city?"

_Flirtatious bastard. _Alice was used to the customers trying to impress her and find a way into her pants, so instead of acting shocked she smiled at him while feeling slightly smug. "If only, but who would cover my shift if we just took off, Mr. Thomas?"

He laughed at her response before winking teasingly. "Oh I think we could work something out with Elizabeth."

This time Alice was shocked. He's just referred to her boss with her real name. "Elizabeth?" Trying to keep her voice calm, Alice glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one else was listening to their conversation.

"Yes, Elizabeth. She is your boss after all. So I would imagine that we would need to clear your schedule with her first." Watching how the young woman in front of him grew more and more stunned, Mr. Thomas finally smiled and touched his hand to her shoulder gently. "Don't worry. Elizabeth and I've been friends for a long time. That's why I refer to her with _that_ name. All though I suppose she would be upset with me if she knew I was calling her by her real name while at the club. That is, after all, against her rules, isn't it?"

Inhaling once and trying to sooth her nerves, Alice nodded.

Turning towards the bar, Mr. Thomas received two glasses with champagne and he thanked the bartender before handing one of the glasses to Alice. "Here you go darling."

Shaking her head as a response, Alice held up a hand and blocked the glass. "Oh, Mr. Thomas, we're not supposed to drink during business hours."

"I insist, Mary. After all, your job is to please me." With a smug expression, he watched her sigh and take the glass from his hand. "That's a good girl."

Rolling her eyes at him, Alice raised her glass towards his in a salute. "I suppose one drink couldn't hurt."

Watching the beautiful woman in front of him, Mr. Thomas finally set down his drink and touched his palm against her cheek. "Sweet, Mary. Who said that I was only buying you one drink?"

~v~

Weeks passed and Alice started seeing a pattern in Mr. Thomas's visits. He would always come in around six o'clock and stay until closing time. During this time he would order a bottle of champagne and request a private room. But there was one thing – beside the fact that he was gorgeous – that made Mr. Thomas stand out from the rest of the customers. Not once had he requested a girl to join him to the private room. This, to Alice, was something unusual. And to be honest, it just made him look even more charming in her eyes. And in a way it was influencing her work. Flirting with his openly was no problem but there were those certain moments when she felt her breath hitch when Mr. Thomas would lean in and touch her more intimately. Yes, you could say that Alice was developing a small crush.

It was a Friday night; about two months after Alice had first met Mr. Thomas. She was working her usual evening shift at the door when she heard a familiar voice.

"Mary, my darling. How are you this evening?"

Smiling brightly, Alice closed the calendar she had been looking at and reached over to Mr. Thomas and kissed his cheek. "I'm good. How are you doing, Mr. Thomas?" Feeling his arm on her lower back, Alice blushed slightly and took at step back. "Shall I have one of the girls to take you to your regular room?"

"That won't be necessary, sweetheart. I have some guests arriving in an hour or so."

This was nothing new. Alice had seen Mr. Thomas walk in from time to time with male guests. At one point she'd been almost convinced that he was gay, considering that whenever he had someone enter his room it was always a man. Of course, after Mr. Thomas started to touch Alice more and more as time progressed, her suspicions about his sexual orientation quickly faded.

"But you will be needing the room later on? I could have one of the girls prep it for you. Get some champagne into the room and some candles lit."

Smiling at his favorite girl, Mr. Thomas took a step forward and placed his hand on the small of her back once again. "I'm sure we can manage without the girls." Seeing her confusion reach her eyes, Mr. Thomas quickly continued. "I was hoping to be able to borrow you for an hour."

Feeling the blood drain out of her face, Alice looked up at Mr. Thomas and tried to come up with a polite answer. He was gorgeous, no doubt about that, but her job description didn't include going into private rooms with customers. Plus, if she went there with him, who knew what her little crush would _make_ her do. "Oh, I…"

He could feel how her body stiffened next to him and Mr. Thomas pressed her slightly closer and leaned in to whisper in her ear. "As my guest, Mary. I want to get to know you better."

It was almost ridiculous how relieved Alice felt after hearing those words being whispered into her ear. Still, she was working. And she wasn't sure if she trusted herself enough to spend time alone with Mr. Thomas in a cozy room. To come and think of it, she didn't trust herself at all in a scenario where she was alone with him. "I'm working, Mr. Thomas. Surely you know I can't just leave my post to spend time with you." Smiling, she placed her hand on his chest before putting some distance between them. Better to let him down easily, for both of their sakes.

Mr. Thomas was not a man who took a no as an answer, though. "Mary," he begun "I insist that you join me. I'll have Elizabeth cover for you."

"Carmen" Alice corrected him, earning a smile in return.

"Oh, miss Mary. Always keeping me in check." Tracing one of his fingers along her arm he smiled when he felt her shudder under his touch. "I'll be right back. Be a darling and order us some champagne into the room while I'm gone." Watching her nod, Mr. Thomas felt a sort of satisfaction fill him up. She was taken by him, no doubt. And he would be lying to himself if he didn't think that she was attractive enough to be worth getting to know.

~v~

"I need a bottle of champagne to room C, Dana." Tapping her fingers nervously against the counter, Alice couldn't help but to look over her shoulder every few second to see if Mr. Thomas was back already.

"Room C? I guess that means Mr. Thomas is back." Dana reached for a bottle and motioned for one of the other girls to come and fetch it. "You're making arrangements to make him comfortable then, Alice?"

Turning around, quickly, Alice stared at Dana in shock. Had she just asked her… if she was… oh my God. "What?" Feeling the blood drain out of her face, for the second time in one evening, Alice tried to remember how to breathe.

"I asked if you're taking care of him. Making sure that he's got everything that he needs? That is your job, isn't it?

"Oh." Feeling relief wash over her, Alice nodded. "Yes, all taken care off. He's got a few guests coming later on in the evening." Thanking Dana for her help, Alice excused herself and headed towards the bathroom. She needed a moment to think. Because surely she hadn't just imagined what Mr. Thomas had asked her? He'd requested her to join him in one of the rooms… _alone._

Entering the ladies room, Alice quickly locked the door behind her and walked over to the sink. Her reflection stared back at her in the mirror and Alice took a moment to herself to try and understand what was happening. During these passed weeks Mr. Thomas had paid her more and more attention by touching her cheek, placing his hand on the small of her back, lowering her voice so that she was the only one who could hear him etc. Still, never had he requested her to join him, to spend time with him alone. And during her shift none the less. Surely he knew that hostesses never entered the private rooms to entertain their guests?

_He invited you to join him as his guest. Of course he knows that you wouldn't go for it otherwise._ But was she going to do it? First of all, Elizabeth would have to approve and there was such a small chance for that to happen that there was really nothing to worry about. And secondly, if Elizabeth approved then it wasn't like Alice had to get down and dirty with Mr. Thomas. They could just talk.

_Yeah, like that's going to happen. You know he makes you feel things that won't just lead to talking. _Knowing that her subconscious was making a valid point, Alice groaned and bit her lip. Mr. Thomas had to know what kind of effect he had on her. Why else would he want her to join him? Did he like her? She'd been charming enough, clearly making him enjoy his time at the club.

The door rattled and Alice turned around, unlocking the door and mumbling out an apology for occupying the bathroom for such a long time. When she looked up, she was met by Elizabeth's familiar face.

"There you are, sweetheart! I just spoke to Mr. Thomas. He was wondering if I could spare you for a few hours."

_Oh dear God, had he really done it? _Alice was about to ask Elizabeth but was cut short as her boss continued babbling.

"He was so sweet, worried that I was overworking you. Such a nice man, offering to speak to me in your behalf…"

_Wait, what? _He had told Elizabeth that this was Alice's request?

"I do hope you know that you can always come and talk to me if you're feeling overworked, honey." Elizabeth patted Alice on the shoulder and smiled gently. "Now off you go. I've got the club covered for a few hours. Just be back by ten."

Stunned by Elizabeth's words, Alice nodded and swallowed. This was really happening. She had been released from work to join Mr. Thomas for… drinks? It felt so surreal.

Excusing herself again, Alice walked towards the hallway that lead towards the private rooms. Maybe she could stay for a few minutes? One drink and then she could get back to work. Make sure that Elizabeth got home early enough to tuck her daughter in.

Stopping by the door that said "Room C", Alice took a deep breath before knocking and carefully opening the door. And there, sitting on one of the couches that surrounded the coffee table, was Mr. Thomas. With two glasses of champagne in his hands. He had clearly been expecting her to show up.

"Mary, my dear. Come on in."  
>Closing the door behind her, Alice smiled politely before sitting down. Careful enough to leave some distance between her and Mr. Thomas.<p>

It was almost strange. When she was working the door she was able to flirt with Mr. Thomas without a problem. But sitting in this room, alone with him, made Alice feel nervous and insecure.

Offering her a glass, Mr. Thomas watched the gorgeous blonde gulp down her drink quickly. She was clearly nervous. Not that she had any reason to, she had caught his attention. If anything she should be flattered. "So Mary, why don't you tell me something about yourself?"

Emptying the last of her glass, Alice watched Mr. Thomas from the corner of her eyes. He wanted her to talk about herself? That might be a little bit hard considering she wasn't supposed to talk about herself when at work. But then again, technically, she wasn't working at the moment. "What do you want to know?" She watched him pour her some more champagne and gladly drank it, the more alcohol in her system the better.

"How about we start with something simple? What's your name?" Lifting a finger to silence her, Mr. Thomas continued. "Your _real_ name."

Growing more confident after that last glass of champagne, Alice smirked. "What's yours?" Clearly his full name couldn't be Mr. Thomas. And two could play this game. So if he wanted to know her name, she had a right to ask for his.

Mr. Thomas on the other hand wasn't sharing her theory and he simply shrugged before settling down his glass on the table "Fair enough. I guess I can call you Mary one more night."

Her eyebrow quirked at his response as Mr. Thomas poured them more champagne. He would let her keep her secret for now. He would find out soon enough.

* * *

><p><strong>The One That Got Away - Playlist:<strong>

Chameleon - Betty Trouble  
>Mary's Song - Taylor Swift<br>When I first Saw you - Jamie Foxx  
>Bad Romance - Lady Gaga<br>She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5  
>I'm Yours - The Script<br>Sing For Me - Yellowcard  
>Sweet Misery - Lisa Miskovsky<br>Fix You - Coldplay  
>Take Me As I am - Fm Static<br>Cosmic Love - Florence & The Machine  
>Stop &amp; Stare - OneRepublic<br>Say (All I need) - OneRepublic  
>Everybody Loves Me - OneRepublic<br>This Love - Maroon 5  
>Tears Of An Angel - RyanDan<br>Best Of You - Foo Fighters  
>Can't Take It - The All-American Rejects<br>For The First Time - The Script  
>Down - Jason Walker<br>It Is You - Dana Glover  
>Beside You - Marianas Trench<br>This Song Is About You - Olly Murs  
>Holding Out For a Hero - Ella Mae Bowen<br>Only One - Alex Band  
>Rubik's Cube - Athlete<br>I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Kurt Schneider  
>Crawl - Superchick<br>A Drop In The Ocean - Ron Pope


	6. Bare Legs

**A/N: **Hello all!**  
><strong>So after hearing that so many of you had problems reaching the new webpage that I gave you, I decided to **also keep on posting** my story here. I make no promises that this will work out considering how much FF hates me, hah.

So here's Chapter 5 in full! It's called "Bare Legs" and takes us back to reality after that last flashback chapter!

Please take a moment to **review** this chapter when you are done reading! Also huge thanks to **Hmmille, Mimi & Helle** for helping me out with this one!  
><strong><br>**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

**Bare legs**

There were only a few things that Jasper hated in life: babies that cry in airplanes, noisy cities and waking up with a hangover. "I'm never drinking again," he muttered into the pillow, flinching when his voice made his head ache even more.

_Fucking hangover. _Opening his eyes—carefully—Jasper stretched out on the couch that he laid on, frowning when he came to realize that it was too comfortable to belong to his beach house.

_Not my couch. _Sitting up, Jasper let his eyes sweep over the room.

_Not my living room either. _Clearly he needed to cut back on the drinking since he couldn't even recognize the place where he had spent his night at. Or figure out why he was wearing nothing but a pair of jeans.

He could probably rule out the possibility of a hook up, though. Women rarely made him sleep on the couch after some fun in the sheets. If they didn't want him in their beds they usually just kicked him out. And that rarely happened. So why was Jasper sitting on some couch – shirtless—in what appeared to be a very bright living room?

"Guess there's only one way to find out," he muttered under his breath. Jasper got up slowly and started to move around. As he walked towards a closed door he couldn't help but notice that there weren't any pictures in the room. Strange, considering that almost every person in the world had a family picture framed on a bookshelf or on the wall. Even Jasper had a few pictures back at his beach house. And he wasn't exactly known to be the most sensitive person on this planet.

Reaching the door, Jasper let out a heavy sigh while trying to convince his hangover to just go away. Obviously it didn't, but it was worth a shot.

Turning the door knob and opening the door slowly, Jasper couldn't help but feel slightly uneasy. His future rarely looked bright when he was waking up after a night of drinking. So what were the chances that he would actually like what he was about to see? Yeah, he was pretty screwed wasn't he?

Stepping inside the room, Jasper realized that he had reached a small kitchen. A kitchen containing a woman who was reaching for something on the top shelf.

Her back was turned to him, which gave Jasper a perfect opportunity to study the form of this stranger. She was petite and had blonde hair. And she was dressed in nothing but a pair of short shorts and a tank top.

_Well fuck me blind. _Jasper tilted his head to the side and studied her some more. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun and the way she was reaching for that bowl on the top shelf was actually pretty cute.

Who knew, maybe last night hadn't ended as badly as he had thought. Maybe they'd ended up fooling around on the couch and the girl had just gotten up before him?

Starting to walk silently towards her, Jasper couldn't help but smile a little. If he played his cards right he might be able to cure this bitch of a hangover with some sex.

Stopping only inches from her, Jasper reached over the girls head and grabbed the bowl before setting it down in front of her on the counter top, making sure that his hand ghosted along her arm in the process.

"Is this what you were trying to reach?" whispering the words into her ear, Jasper could see how the girl tensed up. Guess he had been successful on the sneaking up part.

Watching her turn around, Jasper licked his lips before going into shock. Something about seeing her face caused the memories of last night to flash before his eyes.

They had had dinner, laughed and had a few drinks. The hostess of the restaurant had mistaken them as a married couple and one of the waitresses had tried flirting with Jasper before realizing that he wasn't interested. Oh god, why? Why _her?_

"Alice." The fact that he had just been fantasizing about his best friend made Jasper look away and exhale once while trying to hide his embarrassment. Never had he thought of Alice as a desirable woman and honestly he didn't think he wanted to think of her that way either. And now the image of her in short shorts and a tank top was burned into his brain.

-v-

When Alice had gotten up that morning to make breakfast she had never anticipated to find herself in this position. A position where her back was pressed against the counter and Jasper was standing in front of her. The Jasper part wasn't that bad except that he was half naked. And apparently extremely toned by the looks of things.

_Oh my God, stop looking at his body! _Biting her lip, Alice gazed upon Jasper who seemed to be watching the sink. And was he blushing? No, probably not. He was probably just hot.

_Yes, very hot indeed. _Wanting to slap her own brain, Alice cleared her throat and tried to come up with a sensible thing to tell the half naked man in front of her.

"Good morning." Well, it was a start. "I, uhm, made us some fruit salad for breakfast." She nodded towards the fruit that was cut up on the cutting board.

Trying to move around Jasper, Alice came to realize that he was closer to her than she had thought. So instead of casually slipping by him, she bumped right into Jasper with a small gasp. She had been right about him being hot, though. Jasper's skin seemed to be on fire. Then again, that could just be her brain messing with her.

She felt his hand on her waist then, something that she hadn't been expecting. Of course, she was pretty sure Jasper hadn't expected her to crash into him either.

"You okay down there?"

She was suddenly very aware of the fact that she was dressed in her PJ's and pushed right up against Jasper. Being close to him when they were kids had never been a problem. So why did she feel so flustered now? Looking up at him, Alice tried to compose herself and plaster on a smile. "Are you teasing me about my height?" Her comment earned her a smile from Jasper.

"Maybe…" His smirk grew as he let go of Alice's waist and took a step back.

Silently thankful for the distance put between her and Jasper, Alice walked over to the cutting board and tossed the fruit into the bowl before turning around to face Jasper again.

"How did you sleep?" Picking up the bowl of fruit, Alice motioned Jasper to follow her to the small kitchen table that was placed under a window. "The couch wasn't too uncomfortable was it?"

Watching Alice place the bowl on the table, Jasper sat down on one of the empty chairs. "I slept just fine, Alice." Waiting for her to sit down, Jasper continued. "Not that I remember how I ended up on your couch."

Taking a bite of her breakfast, Alice tried to look innocent before giving up and simply just telling him. "That might be my fault." Making sure that Jasper didn't look too angry, Alice continued. "I sort of dared you to play a drinking game last night after we got to the bar."

Blinking, Jasper tried to trigger some memory of the events that Alice had just described. He had gone to a bar with her? And agreed to play a freaking drinking game? "And why were we at a bar exactly?"

"Because you wanted to." Looking at her hung over friend, Alice made a mental note to never let Jasper drink that much ever again. "You seriously don't remember anything from last night?"

Shaking his head, Jasper leaned back in his chair. The next question that he needed to ask really wasn't his favorite. "So…" sighing, Jasper picked up a few pieces of fruit with his fork "What exactly happened last night?" And dear God, if the answer made any reference to Jasper having tried to hit on Alice, he was going to kill himself after this meal.

Alice smiled tenderly. "We went to a small bar a few blocks from the restaurant and had a few drinks. After a while, a few drinks turned into a drinking game and dancing." Stopping to take in Jasper's expression, Alice noticed the tension in his shoulders. "It isn't a big deal, Jasper. You got drunk and I didn't want to leave you alone in the hotel room in case you got sick. So I offered you my couch."

_It isn't a big deal, Jasper. You got drunk…_ Yeah, right. Like that wasn't a big deal. The last thing Jasper needed to do right now was lose his focus and start drinking. Drinking made Japer relax. And if he was relaxed there was no way that he would be observant enough to make sure that Alice was safe from Mr. Thomas. So yeah, it was a big deal. "I'm sorry, Alice. I can't believe I got so drunk that you had to take care of me. It won't happen again."

"Jazz…" Getting up, Alice walked over and patted him gently on the shoulder. "Seriously, don't worry about it. I had fun. I mean, it was fun seeing you relaxed and more like yourself." After all, it had been a while since Alice had felt like Jasper was the actual Jasper she remembered from high school. "Look, I need to shower. I don't think my boss will appreciate it if I turn up at work looking like a mess." Seeing a little smile play on Jasper's lips, Alice continued. "But feel free to make yourself at home."

Nodding as a response, Jasper waited for Alice to leave the room before he placed his forehead against the table and muttered a few swear words to himself. How could he be so stupid that he got drunk last night? And why were Alice's bare legs still dancing in front of his eyes? Stupid, stupid, stupid, Jasper! He seriously deserved a medal for this little mess that he had created.

Somewhere in the distance the shower was being turned on and Jasper decided that he might as well do something useful while he waited for Alice to get ready. Doing the dishes seemed like a smart idea considering that Alice had slaved in the kitchen for him this morning. So he did just that. Fifteen minutes later, Jasper turned off the water and noticed that the sound of the running water in the shower had also stopped. Guess Alice still wasn't one for long showers. She had always amazed Jasper with how little time she needed to get ready. She was a girl after all. Not that Jasper had ever complained. He was just surprised that so little had changed about her even if her whole life was different compared to when they were kids.

Walking to the living room, Jasper took another look around. The room didn't have pictures but it did have a bookshelf that was filled with books. Guess Alice was still a book junkie. Somehow this fact made Jasper smile again. She truly was, deep down, that same girl he once knew.

Running his fingers along the books, Jasper stopped once his fingers grazed a familiar book title. Of course, last time he'd seen that title it had only been an idea. The fact that the story was now finished and on Alice's bookshelf was pretty amazing.

Reaching for it, Jasper flipped open the book and started scanning the pages. "To our sweet Alice. Congratulations on your big day. We couldn't be prouder of you, sweetheart." Speaking the words out loud, Jasper had no doubt that that this book was a gift from Alice's parents. They had been the only people on this planet that were allowed to call her sweetheart. Jasper had tried calling her that once himself and as a thank you, Alice had slapped him. Playfully of course but the message had still been clear. If you weren't Esme or Carlisle, then don't call Alice sweetheart.

Flipping through a few pages, Jasper continued reading.

_The sun was setting and Joshua reached for a blanket from his truck. Covering both him and Angela, he kept on talking about the football game. Not that she was listening to him. Angela had always had the ability to tune out Joshua's sports talk. He didn't really need her to participate in the conversation anyway. He just loved talking about it. _

Chuckling, Jasper remembered that day. Alice's writing was completely accurate. They had been sitting on the hood of his car, watching the sunset after attending the school's football game. He'd always known that Alice wasn't listening to his comments about goals and perfect team work but she'd been happy just sitting there and listening to the sound of his voice. To come and think of it, Alice truly had been the most unselfish friend one could ask for.

"Taking a trip down memory lane?" Her voice surprised him and Jasper turned around, watching Alice stand in the doorway smiling. Apart from her hair sti**l**l being wet she seemed to be ready to leave for work. Dressed in a pair of jeans and a red t-shirt Alice managed to make casual look extremely pretty.

_God, stop thinking about her like that. It's Alice! _Cursing his idiotic brain, Jasper closed the book and placed it back on the shelf. "You finished your book."

Nodding, Alice walked up to Jasper and stroked the book gently. "Yeah. My parents had it bound for me as a graduation gift." Smiling at the memory, Alice looked up at Jasper. "So do you want to shower before we leave? I don't have any fresh clothes to offer but you might feel better after a hot shower."

The thought of showering did sound nice but Jasper had a feeling that Alice was already running late for work. "No, I'll shower once I get back to the hotel. So if you're ready then we can leave."

"Uhm…" eyeing Jasper's naked chest, Alice laughed and tossed him his shirt from the couch. "might want to get dressed before you leave, Jazz."

-v-

Walking down the street, Jasper and Alice kept on small talking. Trying to get some information out of her, Jasper would always casually ask her questions about home and what she'd done after high school. But each time he asked her, she grew quiet or changed the subject.

"You know my book was featured in the school magazine once." Alice looked at Jasper who seemed horrified. No doubt because that book was pretty personal. "My dad was friends with the principal, remember? Anyway, some of the girls from my class borrowed the book and read it. You wanna know what they said once they gave the book back to me?" Jasper didn't say anything so Alice took that as a sign to continue. "Almost every one of them told me that they'd thought that there would have been at least some sort of steamy love scene between us." Laughing, Alice continued. "Jessica Stanley even confessed to not going after you all those years because she thought something was going on between us."

Looking at her, Jasper tried to suppress a smile. The fact that Jessica Stanley had told Alice that she hadn't been after Jasper was almost ridiculous considering the amount of time she had spent on drunk texting him and flirting during gym. "Is that so?"

"Yeah, she told me that she'd imagine us getting hot and heavy behind the bleachers after a game or something." Alice smiled, but let the smile drop quickly as the image of Jasper and Alice pressed against each other filled her mind. God, she really needed to stop having such a wild imagination.

Jasper on the other hand, was trying to hide his discomfort when the very same thought crossed his mind. Alice dressed in one of those miniskirts she always wore and breathing heavily as Jasper ran his fingers through her hair. _I'm gonna kill myself!_ That way at least he wouldn't have to worry about daydreaming about Alice.

"It's crazy right? Everyone thinking that we were more than friends?" Trying to make the question sound casual, Alice stopped as they reached the familiar blue building.

Jasper stopped as well and looked at Alice. "Yeah, it's crazy."

Standing there in silence, Alice couldn't help but to feel uncertain of the whole situation. Why was Jasper looking at her in that weird way? Like she was his favorite thing in this silly world. "I should get to work." Looking at the door, Alice glanced back at Jasper and tried to come up with a witty comment but realized soon that it was useless when he was watching her with such intensity. "I guess I'll see you later?"

Nodding, Jasper smiled. "I'll call you." If he had the nerve to call her after all, that is. To describe the pass twenty-four hours as weird didn't even seem enough. No this was beyond weird.

Opening the door to the brasserie, Alice stopped and sighed. Turning around, she took a step towards Jasper and rested her hand on his shoulder before kissing his cheek quickly. "Get some rest, Jazz. You look like hell." Smiling, she pulled back and told him goodbye before entering the building.

Standing alone in front of the blue building, Jasper placed his hand on his cheek briefly, smiling at the memory of Alice's touch. As he started walking the thought of Mr. Thomas crossed his mind and Jasper was quick to shake it off. He had no idea what he was going to do about Mr. Thomas but one thing was for sure; he was gonna make sure that Alice never got close to that man ever again.

* * *

><p>So... thoughts? Oh and here's the playlist one more time!<p>

**The One That Got Away - Playlist:**

Chameleon - Betty Trouble  
>Mary's Song - Taylor Swift<br>When I first Saw you - Jamie Foxx  
>Bad Romance - Lady Gaga<br>She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5  
>I'm Yours - The Script<br>Sing For Me - Yellowcard  
>Sweet Misery - Lisa Miskovsky<br>Fix You - Coldplay  
>Take Me As I am - Fm Static<br>Cosmic Love - Florence & The Machine  
>Stop &amp; Stare - OneRepublic<br>Say (All I need) - OneRepublic  
>Everybody Loves Me - OneRepublic<br>This Love - Maroon 5  
>Tears Of An Angel - RyanDan<br>Best Of You - Foo Fighters  
>Can't Take It - The All-American Rejects<br>For The First Time - The Script  
>Down - Jason Walker<br>It Is You - Dana Glover  
>Beside You - Marianas Trench<br>This Song Is About You - Olly Murs  
>Holding Out For a Hero - Ella Mae Bowen<br>Only One - Alex Band  
>Rubik's Cube - Athlete<br>I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Kurt Schneider  
>Crawl - Superchick<br>A Drop In The Ocean - Ron Pope


	7. Phone

**A/N:** Hello, sweethearts!

Gosh, I've missed you! It's been two months since my last update and for that I am truly sorry. I suffered a massive writer's block and if that wasn't enough…I also work full time. So yeah….sorry for the wait!

This chapter should please you Team Jasper people. At least partially…heck, even I felt bad for him at one point while writing this!

A friendly reminder to check out the PLAYLIST for this story. It truly gives you a nice wibe while reading this story.  
>Link: post26079306210/the-one-that-got-away-playlist

See you down there!

Jajjo xx

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

**Phone **

Alice was staring at herself in the mirror. Was she was really going to do this? The thought had occurred to her last week, after she and Jasper had had dinner. But the fact that she was about to do it still astonished Alice. It felt so personal somehow…like she was saying goodbye to a part of herself.

The hairdresser—Rosalie—looked at Alice. "Are you sure about this?"

_Yes, are you sure? _

Swallowing, Alice closed her eyes and nodded her head in a final agreement. "Yes. It's time."

– V –

"Well, I must say…you look gorgeous!" Rosalie clapped her hands together. "I don't know how you do it, but it would seem that you can pull any look off." She paused for a few seconds and lifted her finger up to her lips, tapping them lightly as she pondered. "Perhaps next time we should make you a redhead?"

Laughing nervously, Alice shook her head. "If I ever find myself in a hair crisis, I'll be sure to consider that option." As she spoke, Alice looked at herself in the mirror. Somewhere behind those tired eyes—after pulling off a double shift and texting Jasper until three am—Alice could see traces of her old self. The girl who once used to run to the beach every summer morning, who used to go over to Jasper's house to have breakfast with his mom on Sundays and laugh as he crawled out of bed around noon with really bad bed hair.

"You should definitely consider it!" Rosalie reached for a small mirror and showed Alice the back of her head. "Same cut as before, but that's what you wanted. I'm guessing you prefer your hair long?"

Alice just nodded her head again. As she did, her brown, dark hair bounced around slightly. Smiling, she thought back to the last time that she was a brunette. Back when she was in high school and life was so much easier.

Long, dark hair had been her signature back then. She had also been known for being the freshman who hung out with a sophomore. Alice could still remember how everyone had stared as she ran up to Jasper during her first day, and he picked her up in a bear hug.

Smiling at the memory, Alice looked up at the hairdresser. "Thank you, Rosalie. It looks perfect! Just the way I wanted it."

"You're welcome, honey. After all…that's what you pay me for." Grinning, Rosalie set down the mirror and helped Alice up. She was probably someone Alice could be close friends with had they met a few years ago when everything was just peachy. Now, Alice regarded her more like the best hairdresser in the world who was a great gossip partner when she needed a break from her life. Besides, as far as friends went, Jasper was pretty much all Alice needed. At least until she could shake off the feeling that she was unsafe.

_Right, because it's sooooooo fair that you let Jasper tag along in case someone is out there trying to get you! _Alice ignored her subconscious. It wasn't like she had invited Jasper to pop by and charm her with his old ways. Nope, he'd come up with that plan all by himself.

-V-

Hours seemed to drag on forever when you were sitting at the hotel and doing absolutely nothing. Had he been at home he could have gone out surfing, maybe swimming if the waves weren't big enough for surfing.

But instead of being home, Jasper was sitting in his hotel room in LA. Working…sort of.

"Don't think about it." Yeah, Jasper always hoped that if he ignored a problem long enough, then it would disappear. Like school girl crushes. Once you found out that some girl liked you but the feeling wasn't mutual, you tried to ignore the girl until she realized that you weren't interested and voila: problem solved.

Sadly this was no school girl crush. It was Alice…and her weird ass mystery of a life that got her connected with Mr. Thomas. Jasper's _boss._

Everything would have been so much easier if she'd just stayed at home and lived her life as Mike Newton's wife or something. Not that Alice would want to marry Mike, but it would make Jasper's life less stressful. You know, not having to look out for your girl even if she was your mission and all? Yeah, Alice marrying Mike Newton seemed like an excellent idea! Maybe he could persuade her to go back home?

_Yeah, not likely. _She was too stubborn for that. And home really wasn't home anymore to them. Or at least for Jasper, it wasn't. Not after what happened.

Groaning, Jasper leaned back on the bed and closed his eyes. Picturing Alice in that white wedding dress and smiling as she made her way down the aisle towards Mike. Even Jasper had to admit that the image was disturbing, so he pictured Alice walking towards him instead.

Sitting up quickly, Jasper cursed his brain. Imagining Alice walking towards Jasper in a white wedding dress was just stupid. Not to mention unrealistic and disturbing.

"I really could use a drink." Jasper glanced at his phone. It was five pm; Alice would be off work by now.

_So? You don't need her. Just go for a drink by yourself, you lazy fucker. _It was could go out on his own. But somehow, getting drunk, and leaving Alice unprotected seemed less smart than just bringing her along.

The familiar sound of his phone ringing made Jasper clear his head as he picked the phone up and pressed it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"_Ah, Mr. Whitlock. Are you alone?"_

Jasper felt his body go ice cold. "Mr. Thomas."

"_I take that as a yes. I assume young Mary wouldn't be too pleased if she knew that I was calling you." _

_No, she would not. _"Why are you calling me?"

"_Oh, I like to check up on my projects. See how they are coming along_." There was a short pause. _"So tell me, Mr. Whitlock, how are things with Mary? Have you made a connection yet?" _

Getting up, Jasper walked to the hotel room's window and looked out. "Depends on what you are expecting at this point, sir." There was no denying that Jasper's voice sounded hostile as he spoke. Then again, he was speaking to a man who was planning on taking Alice away from Jasper.

"_Have you, what's the word for it, befriended her yet?" _Mr. Thomas sounded amused by his choice of words.

"I've met her, yes." Jasper knew that that wouldn't be enough, and he raked his brain for a smart yet shallow answer. "She's presented herself to be a challenge. Doesn't like to let people in. I'm assuming that's because of something you did to her?"

"_Tsk, tsk, Mr. Whitlock. I assure you that Mary and I had a perfectly normal and healthy relationship until she decided to get nosy." _

_Relationship? What the hell? _

"Relationship? I thought you two knew each other through business."

There was a chuckle and Jasper got an uneasy feeling.

"_I guess we started out as business but quickly grew to a more personal level. Mary was great that way…always open for business." _

Jasper noticed that his free hand was now in a fist and he had this urge to hit someone. _Hard._

"Is there another reason why you are calling, Mr. Thomas? Otherwise I think this conversation is over."

"_Mr. Whitlock, so touchy this evening. Or is it morning? I haven't really looked out the window today."_ His joke had no effect on Jasper so Mr. Thomas continued, "_That is all for today. I expect that there will be some progress within a week."_

_Fucker. You planning on calling me every freaking week?_

"_I'll be calling you, Mr. Whitlock." _

_Yeah, right. I'll be sure to pick up, oh mighty master. _

"Goodbye, Mr. Thomas."

There was a rattling noise in the background, and Jasper assumed that Mr. Thomas was getting up from a chair.

"_One more thing, Mr. Whitlock." _

"Of course there is. What is it?"

"_If I may be so bold and offer you a tip? Young Mary simply adores a man who brings her pink roses." _

_Bastard. I bet you brought her those fucking roses every day just to make her weak. _

"_And Mr. Whitlock?"_

Sighing, Jasper looked out of the window, annoyed. "Yes?"

"_She also appreciates a man who knows how to work with his fingers." _

The call ended. And Jasper stood still. Still holding his phone by his ear even if he'd heard Mr. Thomas hang up. Slowly lowering his hand, Jasper turned around and grabbed a small table lamp, throwing it violently against the floor. "Motherfucker!"

The hatred for Mr. Thomas didn't exactly go away after his little fit, but it helped. The urge to look him up right away and kill him was contained. The cursing however, was not.

"Freaking, plotting, evil fucker!" running his fingers through his hair, Jasper resisted the urge to also punch the wall. Instead, he threw himself on the bed and closed his eyes.

_Fucker. _

– V –

There was a loud bang at his door. _Really loud. _Jasper sat up quickly, his breath labored as he glanced at the alarm clock. He must have fallen asleep after that phone call. Groaning, he felt the aftershock of being woken up rudely.

"For fucks sake, it's three am!" shouting the words towards the closed door, Jasper composed himself just enough to get out of bed and walked towards the door.

Opening the door with a rather hostile look in his eyes, Jasper was shocked to find a woman standing there. And after some further inspection he was even more shocked to realize that it was Alice. Her hair…it was different. Or should he say familiar? The blonde hair was gone and instead, dark hair framed her face.

"Alice?" He looked at her and noticed that she was trembling. "What's going on? Are you OK?" The thought of Mr. Thomas finding her crossed Jasper's mind.

Horrified by the thought, Jasper quickly invited Alice to come in. She nodded a silent thank you and walked past him.

Jasper glanced quickly out into the hallway to make sure no one was following her before closing the door behind them only to be attacked by Alice. Or rather…attacked by her lips.

Surprised as he was, Jasper lost his focus long enough for Alice to back him up against the door. Her body was pressed against his and Jasper finally caught up with his brain. He was being kissed. By Alice. Alice was kissing _him_. Holy fuck!

Sadly for Jasper the moment only lasted a little while longer and then Alice pulled away, just enough so that she could look at him properly.

There were so many emotions that Jasper couldn't understand, but it was her words that put everything together.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you."

This time it was Jasper who initiated the so called attack. Pulling her to him, Jasper swirled them around and pressed Alice against the door. Unlike before, his hands were on her body and he was kissing her fiercely. The way her lips felt against his was indescribable, not to mention how her body felt against him.

_Heaven and hell. This is heaven and hell! _

Alice gasped against his lips and Jasper felt her hands behind his neck, keeping him as close as possible. Well if that was the way she wanted to play…

Lifting her up, Jasper felt Alice's legs wrap around him and he groaned. Fuck Alice and her perfect legs.

In fact, Jasper did have trouble getting those perfectly shaped bare legs out of his mind after finding Alice in the kitchen that one morning.

His lips trailed along her jaw and neck, causing Alice's breath to hitch.

"Jasper…"

"I know, Ali."

"I think—" she stopped midsentence as Jasper's lips wandered lower towards her breasts. Her whole expression changed and she dug her fingernails into Jasper's back. "Bed. _Now_!"

_Yes, ma'am! _

Holding her still in his arms, Jasper backed away from the door and carried Alice towards his bed. The sheets were all over the place after Jasper's rude awakening. Not that Jasper minded waking up at the moment. Nope, Alice was totally forgiven.

"Damn, Alice. You better slow down."

She leaned her forehead against his and smiled devilishly. "Make me."

Smirking, Jasper unfastened Alice's legs from around his waist and tossed her on the bed. "With pleasure."

Alice squealed and laughed as Jasper reached down and hovered over her, easily covering her tiny frame with his body. She sure could get used to this situation. Bed, hot guy…yes, please! Batting her eyelashes, she kissed Jasper quickly and linked her hands behind his neck. "What are you gonna do to me, Jazz?"

Growling, Jasper threw himself on the mattress and pulled Alice on top of him. "I think we'd better start by getting rid of your clothes. In my bed the dress code is birthday suit only."

"In that case, you're overdressed as well, Mr. Whitlock. So perhaps we should start by undressing you?"

"As long as you do all the work, baby."

Raising her eyebrow, Alice kissed him again and hummed quietly. "I think that can be arranged." She wiggled her ass slightly, making Jasper groan.

"You so do not play fair, Alice."

"What?" She kept her voice as innocent as possible."Are you saying that me moving over your crotch is unsettling?"

Glaring at her, Jasper just shook his head. "Get to work woman."

She laughed and slid off of Jasper, tracing her fingers along his stomach as she did so.

"Hmm, the pants definitely need to go." Unbuttoning his jeans, Alice smirked—all innocence gone from her face—as she lowered herself down and kissed Jasper's chest once, twice, and a third time.

Jasper on the other hand, cussed and watched in disbelief as Alice got back on the bed and started pulling off his pants.

Bolting up, Jasper looked around. He was panting and disoriented. "What the hell?" He'd been asleep.

_And that, my dear friend, is how you have a proper sex dream. _ He'd been asleep and he was alone.

There was no Alice. Even worse,there was no half naked Alice. Fuck.

"What the hell is going on?" Rubbing his face with his hands, Jasper slowly got up and reached for his phone. It was just after seven in the evening. And there was a text message as well. Considering who had been calling Jasper earlier…well, safe to say, Jasper wasn't too eager to read the message.

*My shift is over. Call me when you see this! –A xx *

"Alice." Muttering the word to himself, Jasper pressed the call back button and walked over to the mini bar. He needed a drink after this day.

"Hello?" Her voice was soft as she answered and Jasper couldn't help but to smile at the sound of her voice.

"Hey, Ali. It's me."

"Jasper? Hi! I was starting to wonder if you got my message."

"Yeah, I got it. Sorry, I fell asleep earlier and just now woke up." No need to tell her about that phone call from Mr. Thomas.

"Oh, I see. So you've got any plans for tonight?"

Looking at the bottle in front of him, Jasper stifled a snort. "Nope, no plans. What did you have in mind?"

"I have the day off tomorrow, so I figured I would make the most of it and go out. You wanna come with me?"

Out? Was that really safe?

"Out where exactly?"

He could practically see her roll her eyes at him.

"Don't worry…there will be alcohol to numb your pain."

Smiling, Jasper sat down the bottle he'd had in his hands. "And will there be any drinking games at this place?"

"Nope." She paused, as if realizing what she'd just said. "I mean…unless you want there to be drinking games?"

Laughing, Jasper shook his head. Even if he knew that she couldn't see him. "Where do you wanna meet?"

"Actually…I'm slightly behind with my schedule. So do you want come by my place and we can leave together when I'm done?"

"Sure. I can be there in thirty minutes or so."

"Perfect! I'll see you then, Jazz."

"See you soon, Alice."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Poor Jasper. Cockblocked by himself. Life just isn't fair...

Leave Jasper some dirty thoughts and comforting words by pressing REVIEW!  
>And you know...you are more than welcome to give me feedback in general. :)<p>

Until next time. xx

**The One That Got Away - Playlist:**

Chameleon - Betty Trouble _(theme song)_  
>Mary's Song - Taylor Swift<br>When I first Saw you - Jamie Foxx  
>Bad Romance - Lady Gaga<br>She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5  
>I'm Yours - The Script<br>Sing For Me - Yellowcard  
>Sweet Misery - Lisa Miskovsky<br>Fix You - Coldplay  
>Take Me As I am - Fm Static<br>Cosmic Love - Florence & The Machine  
>Stop &amp; Stare - OneRepublic<br>Say (All I need) - OneRepublic  
>Everybody Loves Me - OneRepublic<br>This Love - Maroon 5  
>Tears Of An Angel - RyanDan<br>Best Of You - Foo Fighters  
>Can't Take It - The All-American Rejects<br>For The First Time - The Script  
>Down - Jason Walker<br>It Is You - Dana Glover  
>Beside You - Marianas Trench<br>This Song Is About You - Olly Murs  
>Holding Out For a Hero - Ella Mae Bowen<br>Only One - Alex Band  
>Rubik's Cube - Athlete<br>I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Kurt Schneider  
>Crawl - Superchick<br>A Drop In The Ocean - Ron Pope


	8. Brown Curls

**A/N:** Hello all. First of all, sorry (once again) for the delay between chapters. I just don't seem to have the time to write like I used to.  
>Second, I'd like to say a special THANK YOU to everyone who reads and reviews this story. I cherish every single comment that I get. Especially since my updates…well, they are always late.<p>

My pre-reader (Mimi) and I have been working hard on developing our lead characters further to make them more realistic.

Also, I feel like I don't say this enough. I want to thank my ENTIRE fic crew. I mean, you guys have to know I could never do this alone! Mimi is always working hard to make sure that my fanfic doesn't get all mushy and shallow. Hmmille, my precious beta, whips my fic into great shape after I've been writing on my chapters all night long with only coffee keeping me going. Without her there would be a lot of comma's missing. Not to mention, unfinished sentences.  
>These two lovely ladies are my "main crew" but also Katie and Helle are more than eager to help me out. So smooches to you girls! I know I don't say it enough.<p>

I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please, remember to review.  
>And just to leave you wanting more. You can expect Mr. Thomas to make an appearance. <em>Soon.<em>

Jajjo xx

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 7<em>

_Brown curls_

The distance between Jasper's hotel and Alice's apartment wasn't far. In fact, it was probably the same distance that their childhood homes had once shared.

Jasper strolled casually along the pavement, not bothering to hurry since Alice had made it clear that she was running behind schedule. He wore jeans and a dark green t-shirt, his hair was in the usual dark mess.

As he grew closer to the hotel, Jasper became increasingly aware of his surroundings. There were a lot of people outside and almost everyone seemed to be in a hurry. Considering it was just after six o'clock, Jasper suspected that they were either late for dinner or running home from work to get to their kids and spouses.

* * *

><p>Glancing at herself in the mirror, Alice couldn't help but smile. Her dark hair framed her face in a familiar way, and her dress…well, it wasn't familiar because it was new. And it was <em>gorgeous<em>—a red satin dress that fell just above mid-thigh. It had a small V neck but the empire waist gave the illusion of a deeper one. The strap of the dress ended at Alice's back in a similar V. And when catching the right light, the dress transformed from a beautiful red color to a more pink toned dress.

_So pretty! _

It had cost a fortune but if you asked Alice, you couldn't really put a price on beauty.

A car on the street honked, and Alice looked up at the clock hanging on her kitchen wall. Jasper should be there any minute, which caused a new smile to spread on her lips. What would he think of her new look? Would he approve?

_Silly, Alice. Since when have you needed a man's approval?_

The sound of her doorbell drew Alice back to reality, and she made a final check in the mirror before pushing the button by her door.

"Hello?"

"Alice, it's me."

_Jasper._ "Hi! Give me a second. I'll be right down."

"Okay. Want me to get us a cab?"

"Sure! See you down there in a second."

Lifting her finger from the button, Alice hurried over to the couch to pick up her jacket and purse. It wasn't particularly chilly outside but Alice didn't dare leave her gorgeous leather coat at home. This garment was made for a life on the town, so she might as well bring it along tonight.

Picking up the keys from the small table next to her door, Alice plastered on a genuine smile before closing the door behind her and making her way to the elevator.

* * *

><p>"<em>Give me a second. I'll be right down." <em>

Leaning against the cab, Jasper kept his gaze on the entrance to Alice's building. Surely she would be here any second now.

_One second, my ass._

Of course, moving from her apartment to the front door in one second was literally impossible. But one could dream, right?

The door to the building opened and Jasper saw a woman come outside. Only she wasn't what he'd been expecting. Her hair was shorter and darker. Her complexion was the same, but the dark hair made her skin almost look pale at first sight. Of course, once she smiled, the color to her face seemed to reappear and Jasper couldn't help but smile as well.

"Alice."

"Hi, Jazz."

He waited a few seconds, studying her appearance. If he didn't know better, he might think he was still dreaming. But the way Alice held herself and kept on smiling…well, Jasper's imagination could never create that smile—only Alice could.

"What did you do to your hair?" His tone was slightly mocking but his expression was kind, which Alice seemed to notice because she just tossed her hair playfully over her shoulder.

"I changed it back. You like?" Raising an eyebrow, Alice silently dared Jasper to say anything but _yes._

"I do. In fact, you look really good, Ali." He didn't want to admit what his first thought had been when she walked out.

_Oh, just say it! You thought daaaaamn!_ Ignoring his brain, Jasper held the door open to the cab. "Shall we?"

Nodding, Alice stepped out onto the street. "We shall."

* * *

><p>"Do you remember the time we snuck out at six am, and we thought we were being completely bad ass?"<p>

Japer watched Alice as she kept on talking about childhood memories. Her whole face was lit up as she spoke, and Jasper found himself fascinated by every little facial expression she made.

"Oh! How about the time when my dad found us sleeping together, and he actually thought we had _slept_ together? My God, I thought I was gonna die of humiliation!"

She brought her margarita to her lips and took a sip. The way her lips curled around the glass caught Jasper's attention once again. It was almost as if she was smiling against the glass while gulping down the strawberry drink.

"And how about the time we went to a baketball game together and ended up writing the word "single" on each other's hands to show people that we weren't actually together!"

Yes, Jasper actually remembered that one. It had turned out that the marker they used was permanent so he'd been walking around with that word of his hand for a few days until it faded away completely! Never had he gotten more attention from the girls that went to his school.

"I think I need another drink. Do you want one?"

"Hmm?" Meeting her eyes, Jasper stared at Alice with a confused expression since he hadn't been paying attention to her question.

Luckily she just smiled and held up her empty glass. "I need another drink. Do you want one?"

"Oh, you don't have to do that. I'll get it."

"Don't be ridiculous, Jasper. You paid for dinner the last time we went out." She got up and smoothed out her dress. "Besides, all the bartenders are guys. Chances are they will serve me before even glancing at you." Smirking at her last few words, Alice watched Jasper raise his eyebrow.

"And what, you don't think I'm pretty enough for the bartenders? That's really hurtful, Alice!"

The way he spoke had Alice laughing, and she squeezed his shoulder lightly. "Shut up!"

Jasper glanced down where Alice's hand rested.

_Easy does it, Jasper. _

"So, how about those drinks?"

Alice composed herself and nodded. "I'll be right back." She kissed his cheek lightly before making her way towards the bar. She was actually having a great time. Not that she had expected anything less, but it was always nice to not be disappointed. "Can I get one strawberry margarita and one beer, please?"

"Coming right up, miss!"

Leaning against the bar, Alice looked around while she waited for their drinks. The place was relatively small and packed with people. There were a bunch of college students at the pool table, making bets on who would win their little competition. Some people were on the dance floor, gently swaying to the rhythm of the music. An old couple was stationed in one of the corner tables. Holding hands, they almost seemed like a couple of newlyweds as the man leaned closer and whispered something in the woman's ear. Her whole face lit up and she kissed her husband, which caused Alice to smile. They seemed so in love.

_True love. _

She could only hope that she would find that one day.

Scanning the room further, Alice's eyes landed on Jasper's back. He was leaning against their table, his hair a mess as he ran his fingers through it absentmindedly.

"Here you go, miss."

Looking back at the bartender, Alice smiled and handed over the money. "Thank you."

Making her way back to their table, Alice managed to get a few sips into her mouth. The cold strawberry drink was to die for.

Reaching the table, she nudged Jasper with her elbow. "Here you go, handsome."

He smiled and took the beer out of her hand. "Handsome, huh?"

Shrugging, Alice sat down on the bar stool. "Well, you seemed so hurt when I told you that you weren't pretty enough for the bartenders."

"And you thought you would play it safe this time?"

Smirking, Alice lifted her glass in a salute. "Exactly."

Jasper chuckled and clinked his glass with hers. "Well, thanks, and cheers!"

Setting down her drink, Alice smiled gently just as the current upbeat song ended and another one started playing.

"_Beauty queen of only eighteen, she had some trouble with herself…"_

Sighing, Alice looked at the dance floor. "I love this song"

Jasper, who normally wouldn't even be paying attention to the music, followed Alice's gaze towards the dance floor. The way her eyes sparkled with longing made him weak, which was probably the only reason why he uttered the following words: "You wanna dance?"

Jasper didn't really dance. Not to this kind of music at least. But somehow, Alice managed to make him break his usual rules. Then again, when he saw the smile that spread across Alice's face, the upcoming torture almost seemed worth it.

Helping her up, Jasper grabbed Alice's hand and led her out towards the dance floor. Placing her hand on his shoulder, Jasper rested his free hand on her waist, pulling her closer before letting his feet move.

Granted, he wasn't the worst dancer in the world. The only reason he didn't normally dance was that he didn't enjoy it, not at least with other women. But Alice made it bearable.

Alice lowered her gaze down to their feet for a moment. She felt like she needed a moment to hide her face and gather her thoughts. Dancing with Jasper felt…nice. More intimate than she had imagined, but that could also be because their bodies were pressed really close together on the crowded dance floor.

Hearing the chorus beginning, Alice lifted her gaze back up to Jasper's face. He was smiling at her and she let a shy smile slip onto her lips as well.

"What are you thinking about, handsome?"

Jasper rolled his eyes at Alice's new nickname for him. "I was just thinking how nice this evening has been."

Feeling herself blush, Alice tipped her head to the side. "I know. Who knew you could dance this well? The Jasper _I_ remember could barely take one step on the dance floor without stepping on my toes."

"Spend a few months in Brazil and you learn how to avoid that."

"Brazil?"

Right, he probably hadn't told her about that. It had been a few years ago when he was shadowing someone and used a young girl as part of his disguise on the dance floor. It had worked like a charm. "Yeah. Have you ever been?"

Sighing, Alice shook her head. "No. I've never left the states. Well, actually, I have…I went to Paris for one weekend."

"Paris? As in France?" Jasper couldn't help but imagine what Alice would be like gazing at the Eiffel tower before pulling out her phone and snapping about a thousand pictures.

Alice watched Jasper's amused expression but felt her own memories come over her. "Yeah…France." Her smile faltered and she waited for the song to play its final notes before stepping back from Jasper's warm embrace. She suddenly felt very much out of place.

Jasper, who was about to suggest another dance, watched her questionably. "You okay, Alice?"

She tried to smile and nodded. "Yeah. I'm just really tired. Is it okay if we start heading home?"

Frowning, Jasper nodded. "Sure. You want me to get us a cab?"

Alice shook her head. "Actually, can we walk? I think I could use the fresh air."

Smiling gently at her, Jasper guided her off the dance floor. "Let's get our coats."

* * *

><p>The streets were quiet as they strolled along the pavement, both remaining silent.<p>

Alice was busy remembering that weekend in Paris. How foolish and in love she'd been.

Jasper, on the other hand, was busy studying Alice and trying to understand what he had said to make her so depressed all of a sudden.

"You cold?"

She looked up at Jasper and shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

Nodding, all out of words, Jasper kept on walking.

Alice looked at Jasper before letting her gaze drop. Talk about an awkward ending for the evening.

Somewhere in the distance you could hear a gang of people laughing, and Alice once again felt the urge to hurry home and hide under her blankets.

Stepping out onto the road, just about to cross it, Alice looked back at Jasper who had stopped. "Jasper?"

He looked at her then, like he'd just been snapped out of a day dream. His eyes widened and he reached out for her just as Alice turned and saw the car in front of her.

"Alice!"

She felt her heart stop as she watched the bright lights coming closer to her. Her entire body slammed against the ground and she gasped, closing her eyes, expecting another car to hit her any second now.

"Jesus! You okay?!" His voice was urgent and Alice felt his hands on her. Slowly, she opened her eyes and was faced with Jasper's jacket.

_Oh!_

The car had not hit her. Jasper must have pulled her aside just in time.

His eyes were wide with alarm and his mouth never stopped moving. She couldn't make out what he was saying, though.

_I must be in shock. _

"Alice?!"

Blinking, she looked up at him again. "Yes?"

He focused his gaze on her. "Are you hurt?"

"I—" she moved a little bit in his arms. "I don't think so."

It was like a wave of relief washed over Jasper. His entire body relaxed and he loosened his grip around Alice. "Thank God." She just blinked up at him, and he couldn't help but think how vulnerable she looked.

_My Alice. _

"You didn't see the car coming?" He tried to keep his voice gentle, but there was a certain edge to it.

Alice, who still seemed to be in shock, shook her head. She felt cold and she shivered, causing Jasper to pull her closer again.

"Come on, let's get you home." She didn't move, though, and Jasper looked down at Alice with a worried expression. "Alice?"

Her voice was weak as she spoke. "Will you stay with me?"

It took him a moment to realize what she meant. But when he did get it, he nodded.

"I'll stay with you, Alice. Come on. Let's go home."

* * *

><p>Thoughts? Review and make my day! :)<p> 


	9. Restless

**A/N:** Hello, sweethearts.

One year…I mean I don't even know what to say to make it seem okay. But here I am. Determined to finish this story once and for all! I hate leaving a story unfinished. It seems like such a waste!

This story will be finished without a beta or pre reader. **It's not **because I'm unhappy with my fic team (they are more than wonderful and I wish them the best) but since this story has been on hiatus for such a long time I simply wish to work on it on my own...with my own schedule.

Anywho, this chapter takes us on an emotional ride as Jasper takes care of little Ali who almost got hit by a car.

Hope you enjoy. And grab some tissues.

Jajjo x

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 8<em>

_Restless  
><em>

Jasper had managed to get Alice back to the apartment in one piece and into bed. She had been shaking so hard that Jasper considered calling a hospital to get some help to her obvious state of shock. But in the end Alice had just wanted to go to bed and Jasper didn't refuse her. Sleep was probably the best thing for her. So he had given her some privacy to change and when he returned he tucked her in like a little child and stroked her cheek until she fell asleep.

Once she was asleep he had snuck out of the bedroom and opened a window in the living room before lighting a cigarette. Jasper didn't smoke that often but during stress he had a tendency to use the smoking as a support system.

_Stress management, if you will. _

Jasper leaned out from the window and watched the city as he enjoyed his smoke.

Alice could have been killed tonight. A few more seconds in the middle of the street and she would have been dead.

_If you hadn't seen that car coming…_

Jasper shuddered by the thought. He had disappeared from Alice's life a long time ago but now that he was back he didn't want to lose her again. And certainly not because of a car and careless driver.

_You sure the driver wasn't aiming for her? _

The thought had crossed Jasper's mind while he walked home with Alice. Had the car just had bad timing or had it been waiting for them? Could Mr. Thomas have found out more about Alice's life and sent someone because Jasper wasn't doing his job? Surely he would have called Jasper if he was unsatisfied.

_Or would he? Maybe he liked the element of surprise. _

"_Bastard." _Jasper sighed and finished his cigarette before tossing it out the window before closing it after him.

It was just after 2am and the logical thing to do would be to go to sleep. But Jasper's couldn't. Not with all these different theories floating around his head.

He walked quietly to the kitchen and got himself a glass of water before going back to the living room. He hated this feeling. The feeling you got in your gut when something was about go to terribly wrong.

_You should never have taken this job. _

Yeah, but then – just like he had thought before – someone else would be shadowing Alice and tricking her into trusting them. And Jasper couldn't have that.

But he couldn't bear the thought of betraying Alice either.

Jasper sighed before taking a sip of his water.

As he set the glass down there was a muffled sound coming from the bedroom.

_Alice. _

Getting up, Jasper tip toed to the bedroom and found Alice tossing and turning in her sleep. She was mumbling something under her breath.

Jasper frowned and tried to make out what she was saying. He didn't have much luck. Determined to find out what was going on – preferably without waking her up – Jasper moved closer to her and hunched down next to the bed, listening intensely to Alice.

"Daniel…what did you do, Daniel…"

_Who the hell is Daniel? _

"Stop! Stop it. No…no, Daniel!"

Jasper looked at Alice with a worried expression. Clearly this _Daniel_ wasn't someone Alice liked. Maybe he should wake her up?

"Daniel!" Alice's frightened yell did it for Jasper as he leaned in and placed his hand on Alice's cheek.

"Alice? Alice, wake up."

She kept on mumbling and seemed to grow more anxious for every second that passed.

"Stop it, Daniel! Stop, you're hurting me!"

"Alice!"

She opened her eyes and moved away from Jasper quickly. She looked terrified.

"Ali…" Jasper tried to reach out for her but she stayed back. "Ali, it's me. It was just a dream. You're okay."

The familiar voice seemed to calm Alice down a little bit. She exhaled once before reaching for the light on her nightstand and turning it on. "Jazz?"

He smiled tenderly. "Yeah. You were having a bad dream but it's over now."

She nodded but didn't really look convinced that everything was okay.

"Wanna talk about it?" Maybe she could give him some answers. Answers like who Daniel was.

Alice shook her head. "No…no, I can't."

This worried Jasper. Why wouldn't she want to talk about it? Who the hell was this Daniel who had her terrified? "Ali…you know you can tell me anything."

Alice shook her head again. "It was only a bad dream, I'm fine."

Her hands trembled slightly and Jasper grabbed hold of one of them, gently giving it a squeeze.

Alice looked up, trying to smile but failing when she saw the concern in Jasper's eyes.

_I can't be weak. I won't be weak._

But when memories of last night started swirling around in her head, Alice's determination to stay strong swayed a little bit. It was all starting to become too much. So much had happened and it all seemed so well timed that the thought of it all being planned started crossing Alice's mind more often than she'd like. Maybe she wasn't safe anymore? Maybe she needed to leave again? Leave Los Angeles...and Jasper.

_No!_

The thought of leaving Jasper made Alice stifle a sob. She couldn't lose him again.

Jasper, noticing Alice's sudden shift in emotions squeezed her hand again and reached up with his other hand to cup her face.

"Hey. Alice, you're shaking."

She was? She couldn't really tell.

Alice leaned in to Jasper's touch and tried to calm down. It didn't really work. Looking up at Jasper, Alice felt her chest tighten. She wouldn't lose him.

"Jasper, will you-" she bit her lip before continuing. "-will you stay with me?"

He looked confused at first but when Alice moved away from him to make space on her bed he nodded. "Of course."

A moment of silence passed as Jasper looked at Alice and then the empty space next to her on the bed. It was just to make her feel safe, nothing more.

_At least you can tell yourself that to make it seem more okay._

Sighing, Jasper kicked off his shoes before sitting down on the edge of the bed, watching Alice as she lied down, facing Jasper.

"You can lie down, you know. I won't bite."

Alice quiet whisper made Jasper smile as he switched off the light and laid down next to her, their noses almost touching.

"Better?"

She nodded and the movement made her nose brush against his.

"Sorry." she blushed slightly and was glad that it was so dark in her bedroom.

Jasper didn't say anything. He just watched her as she snuggled into her blanket and closed her eyes, sighing as her exhausted started taking over.

"Get some sleep, Ali."

She mumbled a response that sounded like a "you too".

Not much time passed before Alice's breathing became heavy and even, a clear sign that she was fast asleep.

Her lips were slightly parted, making Jasper feel her warm breath on his chin.

She was so close to him. It was almost painful because Jasper knew that she was there, right next to him, but not the way he wanted.

_Damn it, Jazz. You can't think like that. This is Alice. _

But it was his Alice. The Alice who had followed him around when they were kids, the Alice who had become his best friend and family. The Alice who had cried when he left for college. The Alice who had taken his place back home when Jasper was too much of a coward to return and face reality.

_My Alice._

He smiled and watched her eyelids flutter as she dreamed - thankfully not a nightmare by the looks of things.

Closing his eyes, Jasper tried to find sleep as well. It didn't take long until his senses started to become dull and he felt how darkness was taking over.

The last thing Jasper remembered before falling asleep was a tiny body moving closer to him and draping an arm over his stomach.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** You know, it actually feels pretty good being back! This chapter was a little shorter compared to my usual chapters but then again...I'm rusty! so give me some time ;)

What did you think of the chapter? Did Alice's nightmares get you concerned? And what about Jasper's thoughts/actions in this chapter? And what "reality" do you think Jasper and Alice keep on referring to? What happened back home that had Jasper so scared? Leave me a review with your thoughts!

And also...hello new story followers!

**The One That Got Away - Playlist:**

Chameleon - Betty Trouble  
>Mary's Song - Taylor Swift<br>When I first Saw you - Jamie Foxx  
>Bad Romance - Lady Gaga<br>She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5  
>I'm Yours - The Script<br>Sing For Me - Yellowcard  
>Sweet Misery - Lisa Miskovsky<br>Fix You - Coldplay  
>Take Me As I am - Fm Static<br>Cosmic Love - Florence & The Machine  
>Stop &amp; Stare - OneRepublic<br>Say (All I need) - OneRepublic  
>Everybody Loves Me - OneRepublic<br>This Love - Maroon 5  
>Tears Of An Angel - RyanDan<br>Best Of You - Foo Fighters  
>Can't Take It - The All-American Rejects<br>For The First Time - The Script  
>Down - Jason Walker<br>It Is You - Dana Glover  
>Beside You - Marianas Trench<br>This Song Is About You - Olly Murs  
>Holding Out For a Hero - Ella Mae Bowen<br>Only One - Alex Band  
>Rubik's Cube - Athlete<br>I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Kurt Schneider  
>Crawl - Superchick<br>A Drop In The Ocean - Ron Pope


	10. Daniel

**A/N: **Hi! Here's the next update. I don't have much to say at the moment so enjoy. Or you know…don't. Because it's an emotional one and it didn't exactly make me smile.

Anywho…talk to you after the chapter!

_Songs recommended for this chapter: Holding Out For a Hero - Ella Mae Bowen, Rubik's Cube - Athlete, I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Kurt Schneider._

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 9<em>

_Daniel_

Alice was pressed against Jasper's warm body when she woke up. One of his muscular arms was wrapped around her tiny body and she could hear his steady heartbeat as she rested her head on his chest.

_Did he sleep here the entire night?_

The previous night felt like a distant dream as Alice tried to recall what had happened.

A car had been driving towards them and Jasper had tried to warn her. She had been knocked aside by him just seconds before the car drove over the spot where Alice had been standing.

_He saved me. _

Alice couldn't really remember the walk back to the apartment. Or maybe they took a cab? Either way, one thing was for sure; if Jasper hadn't pushed her to the ground she would have been dead. No longer living in L.A. and certainly not waking up next to Jasper.

_I could have gotten us both killed. _

The thought ran a shiver through Alice's spine and she curled closer to Jasper. She felt safe as she laid there, listening to Jasper's breathing.

_I should make us some breakfast._

The thought of leaving Jasper's warm side didn't seem too appealing but it was the least she could do after everything that he had done for her lately.

Slowly unwrapping Jasper's arm, Alice sat up and glanced at the alarm clock on her night stand. It was ten o'clock. She had slept much longer than she usually did. She reached for her bath robe that was draped over a chair and shrug it on before getting up and leaving the bedroom.

The apartment was dead silent and freezing cold. They must have left the kitchen window open by accident yesterday. Something Alice had learned to avoid after waking up to an igloo for an apartment a few mornings.

Wrapping the robe tighter around her, Alice made her way to the kitchen and closed the window before reaching for her coffee mug on the top shelf. Coffee sounded so good right now.

As she turned on the coffee pot, Alice took the liberty of also getting some breakfast ready. She was thankful for her grocery shopping the previous morning since it meant that her breakfast shelf wasn't empty.

"Pancakes."

She jumped and turned around. Jasper was leaning against the kitchen's doorframe and was watching her with a lazy smile playing on his lips.

"Morning, Ali."

Alice frowned. "You scared me." She really wasn't a fan of people sneaking up on her.

Jasper's smile disappeared and his eyes were filled with concern. "Sorry. I really should have expected that you'd be extra jumpy this morning considering what happened last night."

Yeah, he probably should have. But that wasn't why Alice was jumpy.

She shrugged and reached for a bowl. "It's fine." She opened the refrigerator and took out a carton of eggs. "So you want pancakes? Blueberry?"

The smile was back on Jasper's face and he nodded. "That would be great."

Alice mimicked his nod and started mixing together a batter while Jasper remained by the door. It was slightly distracting since Alice could practically feel how Jasper was willing himself not to ask her something.

"Hey, Ali?"

_Guess his willpower wasn't strong enough. _

Not turning around, Alice gave a small humming sound, letting Jasper know that she was listening as she continued cooking.

She heard how he walked a few steps closer to her. "About your dream last night-" He came to a halt next to her. "-you were talking about some guy named Daniel."

Alice tensed. She remembered the dream. It was the same dream every night. But she had been hoping that she hadn't been mumbled in her sleep again. Guess she had. And Jasper had been there to hear it all.

Yeah?" She tried to keep her voice calm and steady.

Jasper's eyes narrowed. "Yeah. You seemed pretty upset in your dream."

Alice looked at him, keeping an innocent expression. "Did I? Huh…" She gave a small smile before continuing. "Daniel was my first hairdresser when I moved here. He gave me a horrible haircut and probably traumatized me for life."

_You are such a liar. _

Jasper seemed to debate if he should believe her or not.

_Distract him. _

Alice walked over to a cupboard and took out two plates and an extra coffee mug. "Why don't you set the table while I finish cooking?" She watched Jasper frown before he nodded and reached for the plates.

* * *

><p>They sat in silence as they ate. Alice was skimming through some news on her phone and Jasper seemed occupied with staring at his pancakes.<p>

_He's so no buying the hairdresser story. _

Alice glanced up at Jasper. She should have figured out a better cover story for her dream. Hopefully Jasper wouldn't start asking more questions.

Jasper looked up and Alice averted her eyes, slightly embarrassed that she had been caught staring at him.

Jasper cleared his throat and Alice sighed before looking up again.

_Here we go. _

They stared at each other for a few seconds before Jasper set down his fork.

"You know that I don't believe you, right?"

Of course she knew. But that didn't mean that Alice was ready to talk about it. "I know. But it's the truth, Jasper."

_I am so going to hell._

Giving Jasper a small smile, Alice picked up her mug and took a sip of her coffee.

Tension kept on building up as Alice tried to ignore Jasper's glares.

She didn't succeed very well.

"Why don't you want to tell me the truth, Ali?"

"I am telling you the truth. You know how protective I get about my hair."

He nodded. "I know. Which is why I don't believe that you would go to some hairdresser without checking his credentials beforehand." He placed his elbows on the table and leaned his chin against the palm of his hand. "Besides…didn't you tell me at dinner that a girl named Rosalie has been cutting your hair since you got here?"

Shit. She had told him that.

_Stupid brain! _

Setting down the coffee mug, Alice leaned back and crossed her arms. "She is. I started going to her after the whole fiasco with Daniel." She tried to look stern as she spoke but she could already see that Jasper was flashing the bullshit-sign at her face.

"Stop lying, Alice."

"Stop asking questions, Jasper."

She didn't mean to snap at him and once she did, Alice realized what a big mistake it had been. She had let Jasper know that he was walking on thin ice. Edging closer to private territory.

"Are you in some kind of trouble, Alice?"

She looked away, ignoring his question.

"Alice…"

She cut him off. "No, Jasper! I am not in trouble. I am just annoyed that you can't take a hint. I don't want to talk about Daniel and what happened. So back off." She paused and got up. "In fact…you should leave. I appreciate the help last night but I have things to do and I don't need you lounging around the whole day."

Jasper looked stunned. And annoyed.

_Oh, he doesn't just look annoyed. He looks pissed. _

The chair scratched against the floor when Jasper got up. "You really aren't going to tell me what's going on? You're really going to be that immature?"

Alice huffed. "Get out, Jasper."

"Fine!" He stalked off to the couch and picked up his jacket and a small bag. Alice hadn't noticed it the night before. He must have left it in the coat room.

Alice's eyes trailed Jasper's movements as he collected his phone from the bedroom and put on his shoes in silence.

He didn't say goodbye as he left and slammed the door shut behind him.

* * *

><p>Alice paced around in her apartment after Jasper left. She was mad. And confused. Why was it so important to Jasper to know who Daniel was? Why couldn't he just accept her stupid lie and be okay with the fact that she didn't want to talk about it?<p>

"Ugh, boys!" She threw her arms up dramatically before storming into her bedroom and changed out of her PJ's. It hadn't even occurred to her before that eating breakfast with Jasper while dressed in shorts, a tank top and a morning robe might seem a tad inappropriate.

_Well he asked you about Daniel. That's just as inappropriate! _

Alice nodded in agreement with herself before finishing changing. She pulled her hair up in a messy bun before entering the small bathroom to splash some water on her face.

The cold water calmed her down a little bit and Alice sighed before raising her head to stare at her reflection in the mirror.

She looked pale. Pale and tired.

_Guess near death experiences leave their mark. _

There was a knock on Alice's door and she stood still for a few seconds, continuing to stare at herself. It had to be Jasper. He probably realizes that his questions had been uncalled for and was back to apologize.

Taking a deep breath, Alice started walking towards the door.

"You could have just called, Jazz." She said loudly as she reached for the door knob and opened it.

There was no one there.

"Hello?" Alice poked her head out in the hallway.

Empty.

Letting her eyes wander down to the floor, Alice saw an envelope in front of her. A name was scribbled across it and Alice immediately gasped. The envelope was addressed to Mary White.

She double checked the hallway before bending down to pick up the envelope with shaky hands.

_This can't be happening_.

Closing the door behind her, Alice walked to the living room and sat down on the couch, placing the envelope on the coffee table.

Should she open it? Whatever was in that envelope wasn't good news. There were only a handful of people who knew Alice as Mary White. And most of them were dead.

_I have to open it. _

Picking the envelope up again, Alice swallowed as she ripped it open. A small piece of paper was placed inside and Alice took it out.

_I'm watching you, Mary. See you soon._

"He found me." The words were barely a whisper as Alice let go of the message and got up. She needed to get out of the apartment. Go somewhere safe. Maybe leave the city?

Different ideas and locations swam around in Alice's mind as she went from room to room, picking up a few clothing items, her toothbrush and wallet and placed them in a bag.

_Okay, keys…where are my keys? _

Alice looked around for a bit before she spotted them on the coffee table. Jasper must have placed them there last night after he put her to bed.

"Oh my god…Jasper!"

She almost dropped her bag as she realized that if they had found her then they had to know about Jasper too.

Once again, Alice felt extremely cold and numb. She had to warn him.

Picking up the keys and the letter from her coffee table, Alice rushed towards the door and slammed it shut behind her as she ran towards the staircase at the end of the hall. The elevator would be too slow. She needed to get out of here as fast as she could.

The street outside of the building was packed as Alice got outside, almost tripping over her own feet when trying to avoid crashing into strangers.

_I need to find a cab._

Scanning the street, Alice quickly raised her arm when an empty cab drove around the corner, motioning it to stop.

"Morning, miss. Where can I drive you?"

The cab driver was an old man and the car smelled like cigarettes. Alice didn't care. She simply got in and gave the driver the address for the hotel that Jasper was staying at.

"And please hurry."

The tone of her voice seemed to catch the driver's attention and he nodded before pulling out and heading towards their destination.

As they drove, Alice kept on thinking about the letter and the fact that Jasper was probably in danger.

_You should have never agreed to dinner with him. If you would have ignored him long enough he would have given up and left you alone_.

Alice groaned.

"You okay, miss?" The driver's concerned eyes watched her in the rear-view mirror.

Alice shook her head. "I'm fine. Just drive, please."

_I just hope that I'm not too late. That they don't find him before I do._

* * *

><p>Jasper was laying on his bed, cursing himself for his temper. He shouldn't have pushed Alice. He should have been more patient. Waited for her to be ready to talk.<p>

_But instead you are a temperamental idiot who got himself kicked out from her apartment. _

Jasper closed his eyes. He needed to think. Come up with a decent apology that would make Alice cool off. Because there was no way he was leaving her for too long after what happened last night.

He must have dozed off for a few minutes because Jasper jerked awake as a loud banging came from the door.

He got up and walked towards the sound, trying to find a T-shirt along the way to cover up his naked torso.

Another loud bang came from the door and Jasper sighed.

_Screw the T-shirt, then._

Opening the door he was almost knocked over by a small brunette woman who rushed inside.

He watched her in surprise. "Alice?"

She turned around, facing him. She looked spooked and Jasper's concern went on overdrive. He closed the door behind them and took a step forward, placing his hands on Alice's shoulders.

"Alice, what's wrong?"

She bit her lip and looked up at him. She was shaking, her hands clutched into small fists.

"I'm…I…"

She looked completely lost and Jasper's impatience took over.

"For god's sake, Alice. What is it?"

She swallowed and took out an envelope that she had been carrying in her jacket pocket. She didn't say anything as she handed it to him.

Jasper let go of his shoulders and took it, flipping it over in his hands. A name was scribbled on the envelope.

_Mary. _

Jasper's eyes snapped to Alice's right away. "What's this?" He already dreaded the worst.

Alice took a step back, wrapping her arms around herself protectively.

"I think it's time I tell you about what happened before I came to L.A. I need to tell you what happened when I met Daniel Thomas."

Jasper felt dizzy. He should have known.

He had run out of time and Mr. Thomas must have decided to take matters into his own hands.

And to make things even worse, Daniel wasn't Alice's hairdresser.

Daniel was Mr. Thomas.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Hate me? Please don't! This chapter was a lot of fun to write. But it was also extremely emotional. We're starting to get to the juicy stuff. Which also means that the ending is edging closer.

So what did you think of the chapter? Did you know who Daniel was right away? Or did his last name (which basically could have been his first name and he simply added the "Mr." to seem cooler) have you fooled?

And what about the little lover's spat we saw? Do you think Jasper pressed Alice too hard? Or was it her who was too scared to open up to him? Leave me some thoughts in a review and I shall talk to you soon!

**The One That Got Away - Playlist:**

Chameleon - Betty Trouble  
>Mary's Song - Taylor Swift<br>When I first Saw you - Jamie Foxx  
>Bad Romance - Lady Gaga<br>She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5  
>I'm Yours - The Script<br>Sing For Me - Yellowcard  
>Sweet Misery - Lisa Miskovsky<br>Fix You - Coldplay  
>Take Me As I am - Fm Static<br>Cosmic Love - Florence & The Machine  
>Stop &amp; Stare - OneRepublic<br>Say (All I need) - OneRepublic  
>Everybody Loves Me - OneRepublic<br>This Love - Maroon 5  
>Tears Of An Angel - RyanDan<br>Best Of You - Foo Fighters  
>Can't Take It - The All-American Rejects<br>For The First Time - The Script  
>Down - Jason Walker<br>It Is You - Dana Glover  
>Beside You - Marianas Trench<br>This Song Is About You - Olly Murs  
>Holding Out For a Hero - Ella Mae Bowen<br>Only One - Alex Band  
>Rubik's Cube - Athlete<br>I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Kurt Schneider  
>Crawl - Superchick<br>A Drop In The Ocean - Ron Pope


End file.
